A MOMENT OF CLARITY
It was a cold night in December right before Christmas. We were driving around looking at Christmas lights with our daughter who is now 2 1/2. The night was like many others right around the holidays and we find that we both enjoy these drives and they often help her fall asleep. As we drove up and down the neighborhoods in our car looking at Christmas décor we chatted and enjoyed the constant warmth of the heated vehicle.
A glimpse of hopelessness
We pulled into a parking lot by the post office to drop off a few last-minute Christmas cards to mail. The post office is right on the main road fairly close to where we live and right by a few stores that had just closed for the evening. As we pulled through the parking lot my husband noticed a homeless man sitting by the dumpsters at the Bed Bath N Beyond. He said there is that same man that we have seen so many times recently. I glanced over to the area that he had motioned to and sure enough it was him.
The man that we had seen so many times is an elderly man who walks very slowly, hunched over and pushing two suitcases. He is always in a certain area up and down Monroe street here in Toledo. Seeing homeless in the city of Toledo is sadly and unfortunately not that uncommon. Despite the sad situation it doesn’t even usually make us take notice the way this man did. He didn’t stand on a street corner and beg, he didn’t do anything to specifically draw attention, but we always notice him. My husband has speculated that maybe God has placed him in our paths for a reason which is completely unknown to us.
A reminder to pray
Today at church I spoke with a pastor who works daily with the homeless at Toledo gospel rescue mission. The conversation started as a separate discussion but led to me mentioning the homeless man. The pastor quickly mentioned that he had also encountered this man and had wanted to help him. He also advised that he prays daily for this elderly man and feels like God has not directed him to reach out to this man outside of this. He advised that before he stops and speaks to anyone or offers assistance he always prays. When doing this he feels directed to either reach out or not to at this point. Some people are sadly not ready to allow us to help them even if we try and I believe the pastor recognizes the importance of God’s timing and direction in these matters for this reason.
I remembered vividly the night that we encountered this elderly homeless man in the parking lot by Bed Bath N Beyond. My husband sat in silence in the parking lot praying and asking God for direction. We both felt a tug in our hearts that night but could see no way that we could truly help this man. We live in a small duplex with no additional room to offer this man, we do not have a lot of money to offer and even if we offered some it would not make a significant difference in his life. We felt sadness, hopelessness in our situation, and a longing to reach out in comfort to a fellow man who was in need. God did not speak to us in some big flashy moment that night. We pulled away from the parking lot with the man on our minds and hearts and a commitment to pray for him which was all we feel we can do.
A moment of clarity
When I spoke with the pastor he assured me of the same thing that prayer is the most important step that we could take right now. As I mentioned that we felt the man being placed in our paths repeatedly and we didn’t know why he gave two explanations for this possible occurrence. He said God wants you to pray for him and he may ask you to do something for him. He also mentioned there is a possibility that this man is an angel and the real reason we are seeing him is that there is a lesson that God wants to teach us through this moment. My heart knows that the first response is completely true because the only answer God gave me on that first night is to pray. The second answer would also make sense in my mind because the presence of this man in many places has been a solemn reminder for me of our need for God. It has become a frequent reminder to me of a world so in need of God with no other sufficient answer to those needs. We would love to be the one to answer the call, save the day and provide for these needs but often that is not possible. Instead of feeling hopeless in those moments, we have a few additional choices.
Pray for the person and ask God to intervene in their life. He can do far more for them than we ever can.
Find some small way to help or give back if the opportunity presents itself because giving is an important assignment we have been given by God.
Donate to a shelter in our hometown like Toledo gospel rescue mission that is already answering that call in a way that we cannot.
Don’t forget those in need
Never forget what it is like to be in need. If you are like me you have lived in a place where you have also gone without. Where money has been tight, bills have been hard to pay and joy has been hard to find. Don’t forget how that felt and that you have the power to give back even in a small way to make a change in the lives of others. Donate, volunteer, or just commit to praying for those who are in need this year. Let’s not forget that God loves all people and that he often uses us to help bring hope and joy into the lives of others.
If you want to donate to a non-profit homeless shelter that cares for those just like this man and helps provide hope? Why not check out the Toledo gospel rescue mission’s website and donate using this link.
Final reminder
“If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD— and he will repay you!”
