It’s zero-dark-thirty as I walk down the sidewalk through the urban residential neighborhood in Oakland where our daughter and son-in-law live.
I’m following “Around Me” directions on my phone to a nearby Starbucks.
Tiny homes crowd side by side, like kindergarteners jostling each other in line for recess, while parked cars squeeze bumper to bumper on the street and a couple cyclists pass me, getting an early start to work.
As I get closer to the coffee shop, a homeless guy with a gray cat perching on his shoulder walks towards me and shouts a question I don’t understand. I try to look sympathetic as I shrug my shoulders and pass him.
Outside the Starbucks is another homeless guy who doesn’t even have a backpack. What strikes me is how filthy dirty even his hands are. He asks me for change and I tell him I literally have nothing with me except my phone (with my Starbucks app to purchase coffee).
As I walk into the brightly lit store I’m remembering conversations from yesterday about homelessness by choice, and addiction and mental illness, and toxic charity and the complications of addressing this problem.
I purchase my coffee, but as I start to walk past the man outside, I pause and it seems that Jesus whispers, “Forget the complications.”
“As you did it to the least of these you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:45) echoes in my head.
I turn back. “I don’t have money to give you, but I can get you something to eat with my app if you want.”
“Could you get me a white mocha and one of those ham and cheese things?”
“Sure!”
I return with his order, again noticing his dirty hands as I give it to him.
“Thank you so much. Could you go back and get me a bunch of Splendas?”
I come out with the Splendas and wish him a good day, but as I walk away I think, “Did I really treat him as I would treat Jesus?”
Did I look him in the eye? Did I ask his name? Did I shake his hand? Did I serve him with the respect I’d offer a king?
Did I convey his value and dignity as a beloved child of God?
What if love looks like much more than meeting physical needs?
What if it’s about saying “I see you. You matter to God and to me. You are valued.”?
I reflect not just on homeless people, but the “invisible” people (like baristas), the “inconvenient” people (like the elderly person walking slowly, blocking our way). What if we look them in the eye and honor them today as we would honor Jesus?
That’s powerful, Laura. Going beyond meeting physical needs and treating a person with the respect sure a king. Thank you so much for sharing this today. thanks
Thanks Katie! I was just remembering when our daughter, Maggie, worked for IJM…At first she resisted their strict professional dress-code, until they explained that they wanted to convey honor – to treat the most under-resourced client as if they were the most important and valuable, like Jesus would.
This touched my heart, Laura – thank you for a great wake-up this morning!
Thank you Meg! Missing you!!
Hi Laura, I just read, What Might Jesus Want, and it struck a cord with me!! Your recognition that everyone just wants to be seen and cared for is exactly why we started Dalton’s Vision (daltonsvision.org)! Our mission is to spread a message of love and compassion to let our homeless neighbors know that, We See You and We Care! It’s amazing how much it changes those we encounter if we look them in the eye and say, it is good to SEE you today! Thank you for sharing this story and message because it’s so important for everyone to truly understand!
Wow! So exciting to hear about your ministry! I look forward to reading more!
It’s hard to know how to help people sometimes. Love what you did. There is a man at my local shopping center who stands and waits for cars to go by. I don’t know what he wants. Food? Gift cards? Cash? I’ll ask him next time he is there….
Yes, asking what they want/need – like Jesus asked blind Bartimeus, “What do you want me to do for you?” I wonder if asking this question honors their humanity instead of automatically assuming something.
Asking certainly honors his/their humanity! Never thought of it that way. Thanks, Laura! I’ll let you know how it goes 🙂
Do!