Hope In Homelessness
“…but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Luke 9:58 (NIV)
Read: Luke 9:57-62 (NIV)
In January 1990, I had much to thank God for. Despite being homeless and neglecting my relationship with Him, He continued to bless me. Like a rebellious child, I knew He was there protecting me, yet I didn’t acknowledge His presence.
In Luke 9:58, Jesus talks to a scribe who wants to follow Him. Jesus warns that this decision may mean sacrificing personal comforts, which he takes for granted, highlighting the challenges of a missionary lifestyle compared to staying in familiar, comfortable surroundings.
I had a cozy lifestyle and ran from it.I wanted for nothing and left it behind, not for Jesus, but for the destructive race toward the wrong direction. I was running from the torment inside me, and I couldn’t speak out loud about it.
Then Jesus said to his host, “ But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Luke 14:12-14 (NIV)
While homeless, you seek spaces of community and places that will create safety while out and exposed to being vulnerable. The loneliness you feel inside from finding yourself in this empty, shelterless place craves community.
During the day, you connect with people who occupy those safe spaces, like the soup kitchen. Those who serve you did it with kindness and respect. Across the street was a Men’s only church, a small storefront with volunteers who would call the men in for prayer, clothes, and to tell them about Jesus. On one side of the block, you found nourishment for your body, and on the other, nourishment for your soul. The men would come out emotionally moved, and they would share with the women waiting outside what they had heard. In these two spaces, you find hope in homelessness.
On cold nights, we would gather around a large metal barrel in the park, putting in scraps and trash to burn for heat. There I stood in the clothes I had worn for weeks, my shoes so worn out that the bottoms had separated from the stitching around my toes, exposing me to the cold weather and wet snowy ground. Yet, as we gathered around the fire, we found ourselves enjoying each other’s company, sharing stories, making jokes, laughing, and just enjoying being in the presence of each other. There was a man in a wheelchair who was homeless and struggled to get around in the snow. Fortunately, there was always someone willing to help him. In a way, we all looked out for one another. The bond we shared helped us forget our difficult circumstances, turning our fellowship into a comforting shelter against the harshness of the world around us.
One evening, it snowed so much that they called for a state of emergency. In the evening, after stores and restaurants closed, there was no other place to go for warmth besides abandoned buildings. The temperature dropped seriously low. It was no longer safe to be outside; it was life-threatening, even in an empty shelter without heat. The police and other first responders visited the places we would occupy and gathered whoever was willing to go. I was taken to a high-rise building with hundreds of women and children. They gave us snacks, drinks, and blankets. We stayed in common areas until it was time to be taken to each floor to sleep on the beds. You could tell we were all on guard. These were not our usual comfy communal groups. We were from all over the city, placed with one thing in common, no place to lay our head. It felt good to be on a mattress that night, even if I was scared to close my eyes. I initially felt guilty because mothers had to share their beds with their children. I was single, so I had my own. I did offer a mother next to me my bed. I proposed to sleep on the floor if she wanted to use my bed for her children. She wouldn’t have it. I think having her children under her wings gave her a sense of security and protection for her children. After all, they were exposed and vulnerable as well.
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
Matthew 25:44-45 (NIV)
My experiences will never be forgotten. I am reminded every day of God’s blessings. One is the community of those who share something in common. The sense of brotherhood when you needed someone to have your back. The faithfulness of a sister in Christ who served you a warm meal when you were hungry. The discipleship of a brother in Christ who desired salvation for another brother. Something I wish they had for women at the time in that area. It seemed like all resources in 1990 revolved around the idea that only men were homeless. Resources for women were scarce. It wasn't easy for women to find accommodations, especially if they had children. Families were split up when they needed shelter. I was grateful to the people who volunteered to serve. I was thankful for the first responders who treated me respectfully and desired safety for my life in more ways than one.
“Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. “ James 2:15-17 (NIV)
Those faithful to Christ Jesus should be ready for hardship and mockery. We will face hurt or distress from others, but we must follow the example of Jesus and do His will. We should stop seeking worldly acceptance and rewards. It is better to be rejected, looked down on, and mistreated than to have the world's approval. We should not make excuses for not doing our part for God. Though we may be discarded and abandoned by the world, we are valued and wanted by God, who promises never to leave us.
I am thankful for the hope that comes from community. A community that shares a faith in Christ Jesus. The kind of community that supports one another and worships together despite the diversity in culture or geographical spaces we occupy. We serve to meet the needs of others. Together, we spread the message to bring hope and grow God’s kingdom. Why not share the message of hope with someone today?
