Homeless Few

Recently I met with a friend in Grand Haven, Michigan. I haven't seen Tim in a long time, so it was a good time for catching up on old times. The excuse we used to see each other was to go see a statue that had recently been installed at a church.

Photo by Timothy McPherson

This statue (as you can see) is of a man laying on a park bench. It's not until you look closer that you see that the man has wounds on his feet. Yes,  the man is Jesus.

I have to admit (sorry, Tim) that when I first saw the statue, I was underwhelmed. It did nothing for me. That was then. I've now had the time to think on the meaning of the piece and now come to find it has moved me more than I realized. 

I grew up in the Salvation Army. For those who don't know, the Salvation Army is a church that has a large social services program. Most people have heard of the Army thrift stores, have had to go to the Army offices to get food, or have seen the Army helping during a disaster.  So, having grown up in that environment, the idea of helping others is deeply entrenched in my heart.

When most people think of others starving and in need, they think of those in other parts of the world, such as Africa.  I remember back in the 1980's there was Live-Aid, a giant televised concert designed to raise funds to send food to Ethiopia.  This is a great idea.  However...

Have you ever looked around you?  In your own country?  Your own city?

There is a song by Petra (yes, another Petra song.  I do listen to other groups).  It's called "Homeless Few."

In April of 2001, my family and I went on vacation to Washington DC.  Our hotel was only 5 blocks from the White House.  I remember walking down the street, toward the White House, and seeing a man sleeping on a grate on the ground.

This wasn't in some Third-World country.  This was in my nation's capital, within sight of the home of our president.  Had he looked out his window, the president (At the time, it was George W. Bush) would have seen the man.  And yet, everyone in the government (and me and my family, I'm sorry to say) just walked on by, without a second glance.

When I was a teen, a song by Phil Collins touched me.  It was called "Another Day in Paradise."

Do we just walk by, not looking back, when we see someone who is in need?  Remember...

Matthew 25:34-45

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

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.’