GOD BLESS YOU…Said the Homeless Hungry Woman

The other day as I was returning from a trip, I realized I was hungry.  Pulling off the exit, I was in search of a Chick Fil A because it is “yummy”.  Soon, I had my hot chicken nuggets, waffle fries and, of course, the Chick Fil A sauce to dip EVERYTHING in, including my fingers.  As I headed back to the highway with my hot nuggets by my side, I noticed an elderly woman wrapped in an old coat holding a sign that read, “Anything Is Appreciated.” I glanced down at my sack of hot chicken nuggets and warm waffle fries when an argument ensued between God and I…

” But God, these are my nuggets!”  

I was then reminded of a commitment I made that if I could, I would provide a hot meal to anyone needing food standing on a corner.  Refusing to give up my hot nuggets, I pulled into a drive-thru, purchased her a meal, made a few odd turns on the road, and found where she was standing. As I pulled my car next to her, I rolled my window down and handed her the food.  She looked at me and said, “God Bless You!”  

“God Bless You” said the homeless person. A statement I should have made to her.  I want God to bless her. I want God to help her out of her poverty and desperate situation. But instead, she looked at me and said for God to bless me.  I don’t need to be blessed, she does! But in her kind and appreciative heart, she wanted me to be blessed.

Several years ago, my life was impacted by a young man who too was standing by the stop light holding a sign, “Anything is Appreciated.” I was in the city running errands when it struck lunch time, so I picked up a sandwich. Being calorie conscience, which by the way, does me absolutely no good, I had chosen to eat only half of the sandwich and not open the bag of potato chips. Returning to my car, I drove down the road and approached a red light. Under the light was a young man holding a sign asking for help.  I began searching my car for anything that I could give him, then I remembered my sandwich and bag of chips. Rolling down my window, I handed him my leftovers. As I looked up, I saw that this man was around the age of my boys.  He then graciously thanked me and said the same phrase, “God bless you.” As the light turned green, I glanced into my rearview mirror as the young man quickly unwrapped the sandwich and devoured it as though he had not eaten in days. My heart was broken. He was so hungry! It broke this momma’s heart to know that someone’s son was standing on a corner begging for food. I began to cry and cry hard.  My heart was overwhelmed by his need, but also overwhelmed by my ability to meet that need. I committed at that moment that if I can give food to someone standing on the corner, that I will do whatever it takes to that need.  Even if that is a delay in my own timetable, turning my car around several times to find food, giving from what I have in my car…I will do whatever it takes!

I was raised with the mind-set that these people need to get a job and feed themselves. They needed to stop taking drugs or drinking alcohol to take care of themselves. I believed that mentality and lived accordingly. I could and would pass anyone in need because I was able to reason that because of their laziness or addictions that they deserved their poor lifestyle.  They needed to get an education and get a job. Then they would no longer have to stand on the street corner and hold up a sign. Problem solved!

But when I paused to see the face of that young man, I saw a person. I saw someone’s son.

Were they addicted to drugs? Possibly!

Were they addicted to alcohol? Possibly!

Were they lazy? Possibly!

But their drug addiction, their alcoholism, their laziness was not my responsibility.

My responsibility was to feed them, not heal them.

When we look at scripture, we are told to “feed the poor”. This is not a suggestion; it is a command. There are many scriptures that address our responsibility to feed the poor, but we gloss over them just like I glossed over the faces of the people standing at the stoplight.

“What good is it, dear brothers, and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?

Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, ‘Goodbye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well’ – but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing.

What good does that do?

So, you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.”          James 2:14-17

OUCH!

“Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.”       Proverbs 21:13

DOUBLE OUCH!

“If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion – how can God’s love be in that person? I John 3:17

OUCH, OUCH, OUCH!

I think these scriptures speak for themselves.  I don’t have to interpret them for you or explain them. These scriptures give no “disclaimers” to feed only those who aren’t on drugs or alcoholics. We don’t need to have them fill out a form as to why they are poor, we just need to “feed them.” End of sentence. Put a period on it and do it!

One more story before you go…

A few years ago, my family was in Chicago for a winter visit. Our family had grown temporarily by two boys, making it 5 boys! Our foster kids had never visited a city, so Chicago left them wide eyed. As we walked the cold streets, our youngest foster son observed the people sitting on the sidewalks.  When we returned to our hotel, he asked me what those people were doing. I explained to him that they were homeless, so they slept on the streets. He asked if we could help them. “Absolutely son.” So, I purchased several healthy items of food for him to hand to the homeless the next day.  As the next day ended, we were all gathered at a restaurant eating hot soup.  Looking disappointed, my foster son looked at me holding his bag of food and said he didn’t get to give it away. I told him that God would show us someone who needed these things.  About that time, I could see a homeless person sitting in an alley. I asked my foster son if he would like to give this person his food.  With a smile on his face, he said yes.  So, we purchased some hot soup and grabbed one of my older boys to go with us. Approaching the young man, I asked my foster son if he wanted me to hand the food to him, but he said that he wanted to do it himself. So, I told him that when he approached this young man, look at him in his face and greet him with a smile. I stood back watching my foster son walk up and hand this young man the hot soup and food. It was one of the most precious moments in my own life.

As he handed him the food, the young man looked at my foster son and said,

“God Bless You.”

Challenge…hand a hot meal to someone at a stoplight, then share with us your story of blessing!