Homelessness

A few weeks ago, Jess Alexander and I went out on a walk. I went and got a cake shake, then we headed towards Michigan Ave. Eventually, we set out our destination as the Marilyn Monroe statue. 

Michigan Ave. is a great place for shopping. There is money changing hands all over the place, so it also ends up being a great place for homeless people. Some may be keeping pace with people and harassing them. One lady that I have seen before is in a head covering and ducks her face behind the sign she has made. I've even seen a man who was laughing and counting a wad of money while I walked past, although that's by no means normal. When Jess and I passed one homeless person and turned down his request for money, Jess asked me what I think Christians should do about homelessness.

I am a part of Frontlines which is a student group on campus that connects with homeless people around the city. We go out every week to hand out food and make relationships with these people. The point is to talk to the same people every week and work to build a friendship as well as meeting their physical needs. I most likely do have a better perspective on the problem than most people through my limited engagement with their situation, but I was not able to give Jess a good answer. I don't even remember what I said because I sputtered out some lame crap.

I believe that the easiest solution would be for the government to fund a program for every major city to have a place for all homeless people to come to and get rehabilitated in a way. The money would be an important part, but the time would be even more important. That is to say that the resources need to be there, but in the end it would need to be done with much gritty perseverance. It is important to give people a place to sleep and some food, but on top of that we need to ready them for life as well. But that is some crazy pipe dream about what could work if there was a desire to do it.

Aside from the lofty stuff from a person who isn't well-read on the issue of homelessness, but has spoken with some of these people. On a practical level, I think people should give money to homeless people, if it seems right at the time. When I don't have cash ready to go in my pocket, I don't give it. When I don't have any money at all, I don't give it.  If a person is really tugging at your heart strings, but you keep coming back to the thought that they will use it to get drunk or high, there is one obvious thing to do: Talk to them. Homeless people are like any other person in that you can tell whether they are genuine or not in one minute of conversation. 

Other slightly less practical things are to befriend one of these people or volunteer at a shelter. Christ said that whatever we "do to the least of these", we might as well be doing to Him. Homeless people definitely fall into that category, so we should at the very least be friendly to these people, if not completely their friends. I hope that I'll always be able to have at least one homeless friend. Money can patch a small need, but the ultimate need is hope. One thing I want to stress moving forward with Frontlines is encouraging these people to try and find jobs or any way off of the streets. If we make friends with them and don't try to help them change their lives at all, then we are failing them as friends.

Overall, it's easy to feel totally wrecked by the idea of homeless people. They don't have so much that we do have. It might be callous to say, but homelessness is something that is always going to happen in cities. Or at least until there is no addiction, crime, or poverty. It should make us slightly sad, and there are small things we can do. There are also large things that some of us can do if we feel so inclined. If I can eventually help start or run some sort of homeless shelter, it will bring me unspeakable joy. But right now the only thing I know to do is study for my Christianity in Western Culture midterm... (sighs).

Class Council Devotion

For Class Council's fortnightly e-mail, I wrote the devotion this week. I don't want devotions like this to be the main function of my blog, but I think it would be fun to share one. Especially since 400 other people are having it sent to their e-mails. In fact, I haven't even gotten this approved or proof-read. I like it though. There will be some commentary from me too. Here it is though:

"Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light. So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him."

Luke 8:16-18

In class chapel we looked at the parable of the talents. We saw how the master punished or rewarded his slaves according to how well they worked. I used that parable to talk about how God wants us to act in our situation. My call was for our class to become a class of action in Chicago. Too often people at our school become complacent with a life shut off from the city. I hope that everyone has taken the chance to consider how they can be even slightly more active in Chicago. It is the task of Moody to be a witness to Chicago. We all need to examine our place in that.

Aside: You see I did this message for Class Chapel which I described above, and there were some people that complained about it. One, because I told a lot of jokes. Two, because people did not want to take it seriously and apply it. I wanted to make an intense dig against those sort of people here, but instead I just reiterated my point. Those people wanted to call my chapel "not serious" or "apathetic" but they have no room to talk, because I gave a strong call to action. If they missed it, that's fine, but then they also can't talk about it. And it's fine that I'm addressing this to the public, because nobody criticized it to me. Alright, there's my bit on that. Here is the rest of my devotional thing unadulterated. 

For my devotional here, I want to talk about the Parable of the Lamp. The Matthew version of this passage is better known (Matt. 5:14-16) as it
elaborates on the point made at the beginning of our passage, but this passage takes the idea to a different place. Instead of dwelling on the idea of the lamp, the lampstand, and the burden of the believer in the world, it shows the affect that a believer will have on the rest of the world:

"For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light."

Lately, I have been rather tried by the duty that Christians have in the world. It is hard to hold any minority belief, and a true believer in Christ will not find an ally with most people that they meet around town. And those that they agree with still may not live according to Christ's words. It is a despairing thing to consider. This anxiety can lead us to spread the word with more fervor, compromise, or throw a pity party. The great Christians that we still read about (as well those we don't read about) chose the first option. Perhaps it was because they chose took note of the verse above.

Not every conversation we have with a non-believer will end with them accepting Christ either immediately or ever. An evangelistic sermon might lead most of an audience to repentance, but most likely not everyone. Many people die without accepting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for themselves. Like I said before, it is a despairing thing to consider. But there was never any promise that our message would be popular or widely accepted. In fact, Jesus tells us to shine that light on the dark world no matter what. The promise is that nothing will ever be able to escape the piercing light. Even if people run the other way, we are not responsible for their decision. It is not comforting that people reject Christ, but we can be comforted that Christ would have us shine regardless. Sometimes our message will make us unpopular as it did for the prophets and the apostles. Sometimes our message will bring us acclaim like Charles Spurgeon or DL Moody. One thing is sure. If we preach the message (in word and deed) yet people turn away: We are still fulfilling Christ's call and glorifying God.

Shine. It is a call to obedience. Being accepted does not mean obedience, and being ridiculed or hated does not necessarily mean disobedience.