There are many reasons why people don't help the homeless. Yes they may have brought this on themselves. Yes they may drink too much. Yes to an entire list of reasons to not help someone.But- they are still people. They are still cold, they are still hungry. Our value judgment about why they are this way does not absolve us from the responsibility to help them.
Jesus did not say, I was hungry or thirsty for reasons beyond my control, and you fed me. He doesn't qualify the worthiness of the person who receives the help. He simply says, I was hungry and you fed me.
Part of the holiness of helping the homeless is in the helping them. The other part of the holiness is not judging them for why they are the way that they are.
I refuse to get lost in why they are the way that they are. That is not the point. I am able to help, so I will.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
1 comment:
One struggle I have when feeding them is that it enables them to remain homeless. There was a report out the other day that something like 37 cities have made it illegal to feed the homeless as it encourages them to stay in that condition.
I would like to find a better way to help them and treat them as people that gives them a hand to pull themselves up. Not to hold them down.
Finding that vehicle to truly help them is a little harder than handing them a sandwich.
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