Unbeknownst to them, the poverty culture often takes Jesus’ words in Matthew 25 literally. Wow. What a concept.
My next door neighbor Frieda Sanford has a 20 year old daughter named Jessie. Jessie has tried to make a clean break from home once or twice by moving in with a boyfriend or something. It lasted like 2 weeks so she’s back next door.
Somewhere, Jessie ran into some 17 year old homeless* girl and made friends with her. She soon invited the 17 year old to come live with her and her family.
I’m serious. For like two months, Frieda and her family treated the 17 year old like a daughter. They housed and fed her, etc. She went where ever they went and did what ever they did. And their house has to be about 850 square foot with five other people dwelling there (not including The Tiger’s backyard den).
The 17 year old recently moved off with some boyfriend.
If middle class church people saw the Sanfords, they’d probably judge them by their appearance. Or at least the way their property looks and the way they live.
We in the middle class have an unwritten rule in life to protect ourselves. Protect our property, space, time.
Space...
I don’t even know where to go with this one…
*I use the word “homeless” loosely as this 17 year old is technically home-less... in no home, abandoned by her mom, sleeping on friend’s couches, etc. This is opposed to being homeless, as in sleeping outside in a camp by the tracks and dining at a local shelter/mission, etc. There’s probably not much difference in the two definitions.
3 comments:
i'm with you, where do you go with that one?
i love stories like this. i wish they were about "my people"
hell, i wish they were about me
but i'm one of the middle class white guys who's too worried about his space and his stuff
pray for me on that one will you, that i'll be less concerned with the things of this world and more concerned with the people who live here.
peace
I think you are right, B. However, I have a similar story to tell where the white middle class people took in a 17 year old boy off the streets. It is too long to tell here; I will need to post it soon. Keep an eye open for it.
But I think my exception proves the rule you are talking about. For the young man had come to church looking for help and I was there at the "emergency mens business meeting" (what a crock!) that not only denied him help, but looked for ways to get rid of him.
More on that later. For now, good story. It warms my heart. Thanks for sharing. May many readers be convicted by it and then actually CHANGE their ways.
Many blessings...
I dont know how much you visit my blog anymore, but I have just posted the story I promised here last time. So here is your heads up.
Many blessings...
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