Having very little to do and not enjoying traffic here, Russ and I often walk. We may even walk to businesses that are 2-3 miles away. The exercise is good for us and it keeps us from having to deal with driving. On a bench on one corner I have observed a man who seems to be pretty well settled in. He is a large man with a roomy bag like a gym bag that has lettering on it which indicates it was a part of a community charity effort to provide necessities for living outside a dwelling. I have not looked on him with disdain or criticism. If ever he looked up at me when I walk by, I would smile and greet him like any other person whose eye I try to catch to be friendly. I was thinking about stories I have read about hobos in the 19th or 20th century here in the United States. They were generally reasonable people (mostly adult males) who had no job and no place to live. They would often be willing to split wood or do yard work or whatever their skills allowed in exchange for a meal or the opportunity to sleep in a shed or barn to be out of the weather. I have also remembered a news program I saw many decades ago now where there were several homeless people interviewed. A couple of the men stated that they would rather live a homeless lifestyle than be tied down with a job and rent or mortgage payments.
I realize that there are many homeless people who are not there by choice. Sometimes there is an addiction involved and sometimes there is an issue with mental health problems. The saddest perhaps is the children who are associated with a homeless adult drifter so they never know what a "normal" life is like. When we see homeless people, we have no way of knowing their circumstances. That would invite us to not just discount them, necessarily, as irresponsible. On the other hand, I personally would never want to enable anyone in supporting an addiction. So, short of averting my eyes and trying to pretend they're not there, how do I react in a way Jesus would have me react? I have a friend who always carries in her car a sandwich bag with a granola bar, a sample toothpaste tube, some change, and whatever other little things she thinks of. She will hand a bag out the window to any beggar she comes upon. I think that's something Jesus would like. I have another friend who, despite nearing 80 years old, taught for awhile in a homeless shelter. Her stories of that experience would touch even the coldest heart. I intend, if ever I get the chance, to speak to someone who is homeless as if they were any other community member I might encounter on the street. If I can, I will offer to buy them food or I would even give them my coat if they needed it. I might hesitate to give them money because I have had too many experiences with people who just want to make their living taking money from someone with no effort on their part beyond asking. I would have no idea what their circumstances are so I would avoid assuming anything. But I do know they are children of God, just like I am. I know there are lots of charitable and government programs to assist, although I realize that when someone has their life abruptly changed, it may take some time to get enrolled in such help. I wish I could simply believe any story told me, but I know I can't. I can't even believe stories that are "news" from the media! So I would just pray to know what to do, but my guy reaction will be to treat others as I would want to be treated.
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