Unto One Of The Least Of These

Jesus said:  "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."  Matthew 25:40.

I was reminded of this verse on Wednesday as I met a young man by the name of Jay (named changed to protect his identity).  The way I met Jay was what some people would call disturbing and disrupting their day.  To be totally honest that is exactly how I felt when our church secretary came to my office and said, "ok we have a problem - evidently there is a homeless man hanging out in the parking lot asking people for help."  My initial response was not near as wholesome as it should have been.

However, I knew the situation must be tended to as we had people arriving for a funeral service along with the fact that we have a Daycare on our campus and several of our teachers were coming in from Breaks and expressing their discomfort having seen him in the parking lot.

Once outside I saw a young man from "Different Eyes."  I felt as if God was saying to me, "Exercise Grace and Mercy...He is my child."  I walked up and said, "Hello - how can I help you?"  Jay was a young man with a puppy and a broken heart because his girlfriend had been arrested the night before. He shared that he needed a blanket. I asked him where he was staying.  This is where the story gets a little more heartwarming.  He said that he was staying down the street in the woods.  I told him that he really needed to go to our Shelter that we have in town.  He said he could not go there due to the puppy and he said he had tried to give the puppy away during the day but there was nobody that wanted him.  I shared with him that we could provide him with a sleeping bag - but we would have to go and purchase it at Wal-Mart.  

Long story made short our youth pastor had borrowed my vehicle so I called him to stop by Wal-Mart and get a sleeping bag and when he returned having known the story now about Jay - he brought him not only a sleeping bag but also a loaf of bread and some bologna and ham.  Our Daycare Director had fixed up a back of snacks, juices and food she had for him.  We inquired with Jay about his relationship with Christ (he said he was a Christian), prayed with him and gave him a Bible and told him we could not allow him to hang out on campus that he would have to take this stuff and leave now.

Jay has plans to get  a job and continue to seek to improve his situation.  The lesson I learned was that Jay could have come on our campus and left with one of two impressions.  1).  That place is truly a Light House and a Missional Outpost where he could see Jesus or 2).  I went there with a need in my life and they asked me to leave and ran me off.  I do not share this to brag or to pat ourselves on the back but I share it to say - that we must listen to that "Still small voice" and ask God to give us wisdom on how to handle these situations and ask for discernment.  I think Jesus would have actually said something like, "Come on Jay - I am going to your place for tea - or in this case - "Come on Jay you are going to my house for dinner."  There is so much to learn as we seek to be Missional each day and follow the example of Christ."

We hope to continue to reach out to Jay in the next few days.  Our plan is to take him for a meal and get him a change of clothes and perhaps work out a way for him to get a warm shower.

Pray for discernment along this journey called life and live a life that reflects the love of Christ as you go.