MATTHEW 7: 1-5
“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”
Gal 6:2
Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
For a few years now I have gone to the church periodically in the winter months and slept there with the homeless. We place mattresses in the gym and cover them with sheets and blankets. They are fed well and have a quiet, protected night. Most fall asleep after a shower and their bellies are full of warm food. I am usually tired from the workday yet without fail feel surprisingly energized to attend to the various tasks at hand.
. One of those nights, as is often the case, there was a fellow that worked the system from the moment he “hit the door.”
“Can I get an extra t-shirt?”
“Is there any more chicken?” This would be his fourth piece.
He was constantly stuffing whatever he could into his pockets. The whole time he never stops this garbled but loud diatribe on everything under the sun; opinions, places he’d been, things he could do, fights he’d seen, the end of the world, etc. The other guys would just give him a tired look or roll their eyes.
I must say that, before the night was over, he was getting under my skin a little. I got a bit “toney” with him (I’ll call him Demetrius.) about tying up the phone and talking so loud while the other guys were watching a movie in the same room.
So I prayed before trying to get a little shut-eye. I asked God to show me what about the man was something about myself that I didn’t like. As quick as I asked, the answer came. I hate to say it but at times, I’ve been a afraid that I wasn’t going to get what I needed or that someone or some entity was going to take away what I had. Are we not all at least vaguely familiar with self-centered fear?
Periodically I find that I possibly talk a bit too much. I’m aware that it’s because I’m afraid to let folks get too close. It’s also about intimacy and a lot of other psychological “isms” we hear about these days. I couldn’t help but think that was exactly how the fellow at the church felt.
The next morning he was in true form. “You got any talcum powder? I need it bad. Can I take the whole bottle?” Then he began to regale one of the other homeless men, who appeared to be half asleep, resting his chin in his hand as he sat over his now empty cereal bowl.
Next thing I know, I hear Demetrius asking Steve, who is working with me, and “Didn’t you guys say you had some extra socks?”
It’s early, so I’m not going to start with the judging after that wonderful bedtime praying so I just stay quiet. Steve gets the closet key and a few minutes later returns with the socks. He hands them to Demetrius who then turns and hands them to this gentle giant sitting at a table who had not spoken ten words all night. The “giant” mumbles something obviously a little surprised. Then he smiles for the first time in twelve hours, this big grin like a kid at Christmas,
“Hey thanks. I needed these somethin’ awful.”
I can’t help but wonder if Demetrius did some praying about me.
On the way home I’ll feel a little fuzzy from lack of sleep. Funny though … I’ll often sing a hymn or say a prayer out loud as I speed down the expressway back to my family and warm, cozy life. Then I will think of them and know that we are all better for having encountered each other if only for a brief while. I’ll thank God for letting me do this thing that gives me so much more than I could ever give them.
Scott Hicks
