From 2007

Literally - Seeing from a Another Perspective

Last Wednesday night I took my 8 year old son, Robbie, to our downtown street ministry. I had some trepidation about taking him, but alas it was revealing. Didn’t Jesus say, “The kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these” (Matt. 13:14). Maybe I could learn something of God’s kingdom from my son. I did.

I had seen Ray Robertson take all three of his boys; Reese, Walker and David at different times, so I decided to see if my boys would be interested. Yes, I know what you’re thinking; I did get approval from my wife.

I have four boys under 11, so I announced to the older two they could go if they wanted to go. The initial reaction was a resounding, “no way, dad.” After a small bout of thinking I had somehow failed in comparison to Ray, I decided it was just as well or perhaps they weren’t ready yet. Then an hour or so before time to go, Robbie (the 8 year old) asked me if the place I was going was near the Stewpot. I told him where I was going was actually behind a building used by the Stewpot and the “real” Stewpot was just down the street. He told me his PA class was growing radishes and carrots to give to the Stewpot and that they were going to take the veggies down there when they were ready to be harvested.

Could it be a modern day parable?

The Kingdom of Heaven is like little boys and girls growing radishes and carrots and giving them away to those in need…….

Could these little ones understand the action? Would they remember the effort when they grow older?

Robbie wanted to go, so we went together. He had a lot of questions. What are homeless people like? What will I do? What will I say? How will I say it? I had to laugh, because those were the same questions I had the first time I went and I will assure you I was much older than 8. (Try 40!) I assured Rob that homeless folks are just people, “same kinda different as me”, if you’ve read the book.

We met at the library as is our custom and Rob got to meet some of the others involved in this ministry. He was very impatient. “Where are the homeless people?”, he asked. Perhaps another lesson learned - we spend a relative amount of time socializing before we head down to our spots. His comment reminded me; this is about them.

Before long we were on our way down Amite by Smith park. There was a homeless person in the park. “Are we going to help him dad?”, Robbie inquired. I assured him that the Parkway Baptist Van would get to him as Smith Park is on their route. On we went, through the basically deserted downtown area till we pulled in to the Opportunity Center. There were plenty of homeless folks awaiting our arrival.

As we got out of the car Michael Lewis hailed me down as he usually does and came over to talk. I introduced him to Rob and they shook hands. We listened as Michael told of how someone had broken out some lower windows in the abandoned house where he slept and flea infested dogs had gotten in the house. Michael wanted a flea bomb to get rid of the fleas. We didn’t have one. The windows were broken out to get the aluminum from the frames to sell. “Why would someone do that?”, Rob asked. “They sell the metal for money to buy other things”, I explained not going into any further detail. “Oh”, he replied. Robbie had just sold several items in a neighbor’s garage sale so he could buy a Webkins. I guess those things are sort of an addiction, albeit, not a destructive one. (at least I hope so).

We met Earnest, who was in town but his family didn’t know it. He was supposed to be in Dallas/Forth Worth, but he was hooked on drugs and didn’t feel like he could go for the job and didn’t feel like he could tell his family either. Now he was on the street, while a good painting job ($17 per hour) was waiting in Texas. Robbie thought $17 per hour was an astronomical sum. “He’ll be rich in no time”, asserted Rob. “Why doesn’t he just quit the drugs and go?”, Rob inquired, later after Earnest had left. That was a little more complicated an issue, but we had a real good talk about the power of drugs and the path they lead you down. We talked about trusting God and the Spirit of discernment that dwells in us. It was a good talk, actually one of the best we’ve had. It was real. We were in the mess of the world, and it enhanced the conversation. That same talk without the experience Rob saw would not have been the same. I thank God for that moment. I hope he remembers the desperation in Earnest’s voice. I hope he remembers the glazed over look in Earnest’s eyes, but even more I hope he remembers the prayer we prayed for Earnest together later that night.

“Why do they sleep out here on the street or in the bushes?”, Robbie asked on the way home. I explained for some it is liberating - no stress, no one to impress, no one to let down, no one to be responsible for, no one but themselves. Yes, son, it would be very lonely. No son, it is not safe. No, son, I don’t think Jesus would have any of them be homeless, but they have been part of some awful situations and made some very poor choices. Jesus said they would always be among us. He said we should care for them, let them know that they matter to us and to Him.

“Dad, so why doesn’t everyone help them?”

No real answer for that son. Why don’t you spread the word?