Sunday Sermonizing: Conversations and Solutions for the Homeless

I have conversations with people all the time. Some of them are flourishing some of them are frustrating. Some of them make me scratch my head and wonder.

I experienced a head-scratcher the other day.

I was talking to another Jesus follower. She’s a good person. I truly believe she wants to do what’s right.

We talked of homelessness and ongoing question: do you give money when asked, even when you know it’s not being spent on the things of which you might approve? Or do you say, “No”? Tough love. I’m not going to support your assumed drug and alcohol habit.

Everyone has to answer questions like this for themselves.

We wrestled with this when we lived in a Central Asian city for several years. Our white skin and large, Western noses stood out, and cried loud and clear, “We have means.” We would get asked for money a lot. At first, it was “no” by default. But then we found our hearts getting hard. There had to be a better way than this.

For me, the solution was small-change, apples, and peanuts in my pockets. I tried to never say "no".

It was my way of holding onto my own humanity.

Homelessness is an enormous social issue in America. I see homeless people in the little town where I live all the time. I know several of them by name. I know a few of their stories. All I can say is that it’s more complicated than most of us with homes and three meals assume.
Sure. There are choices people make.
Choices people who read blogs on the Internet might not make.
But there are also issues of economic justice, mental health, and spirals of plain bad luck. Yes, everyone is responsible for their choices.

But I am responsible for my choices.

As a Jesus-follower, I don’t believe in “tough love” when people use the phrase as an excuse for gracelessness.

I also believe that Christians should have no part in politicizing the homeless (or refugees or immigrants or LGTBQ to any other marginalized group of people).

As Christians, we should be talking about ways to show love and grace and Jesus.
And we should be the ones who talk about solutions.
Real solutions.

Reminiscent of the prophetic words of Keith Green,

It’s the Church not “playing church” but being the Church.

We’ve got to do better than Sunday mornings.