January 27, 2018

Help Where You Can

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done. – Proverbs 19:17

I had heard about the organization and this amazing woman who gave of herself to help others. She was the lifeline for those who were homeless, jobless, without food or shelter. She was the wise counsel for those wanting to help but not wanting to enable.

So I went to hear her speak, to learn the specifics of the call God had placed on her life. It was refreshing. She didn’t ask for money. She’d be happy to take it but it wasn’t the purpose of her talk.

She needed clothing donations, including shoes. She told of the woman who came in barefoot and asking for help. She didn’t ask for shoes. Honestly, when you are hungry and without a place to stay shoes lose their importance. She left with shoes on her feet and the help she needed.

Why do people end up in such desperation? Sometimes it is bad choices, drugs or alcohol. Sometimes it is a job loss. Other times it is escape from abuse or an illness that takes everything we thought we had.

We are quick to judge, aren’t we? A sweet friend commented the other day about “all those people on disability”. I reminded her that we can’t always look at someone and determine if they should be disability or not. Heart attacks, cancer, MS and other debilitating health issues aren’t always evident to an outsider. She agreed.

Whatever the issues, the needs are varied and the help should be too. Unfortunately, government programs are often tied up in rules and regulations. This woman receives no money from the government. She doesn’t apply for grants or other sources of funding. She relies on the generosity of churches and individuals who see a need and help.

This lack of regulation helps her meet the actual needs before her. Sometimes it does mean contacting government agencies. Other times it’s providing help with a job application, or finding childcare or housing or any number of issues. People need proper clothing for a job interview. They need a bath. And food. It seems that people are always needing food in this country of abundance.

She doesn’t have a large staff of volunteers. It’s just her and, when he’s not working his “regular” job, her husband. She’s blessed – her words – to have several churches she can call to step up and help. My church is one of them. We are blessed to have someone who can help us determine real need.

She’s the first to say don’t give anyone money directly. If their electricity has been turned off, pay the utility company. If they’re behind on their rent, pay the landlord. If they need food, give them food. People make bad choices, sometimes because they really don’t know any better.

Oh, yes, she also provides budgeting lessons. Because how we handle what God gives us helps determine how we live our lives and care for ourselves and our children.

Is she impacting the lives of thousands? Not at all. The number she’s able to help can seem small. But she is doing what she can where she is. She is changing lives one person at a time. Really, that’s all God has ever asked of any of us. Help the person right in front of us and trust Him with the rest.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Check Your Heart

"A poor man is shunned by all his relatives -- how much more do his friends avoid him!

-- Proverbs 19:7

Have you ever noticed that the poor relatives rarely get mentioned -- at least in the same sentence as something good. Everyone will be gathered around getting caught up, but no one brags about the son who does nonprofit work and struggles to make ends meet. No one talks about the sibling who got laid off from a job -- again.

I know a woman who barely acknowledges a brother who has struggled financially. He's one of those shoot-yourself-in-the-foot kind of guys. A real hard worker who makes the decision to go with a company that is struggling financially. Or who moves in one direction, only to have outside factors mess that up too. It's sad. A good person who has no family support. Just a history of bad choices and a longing for family to hold close.

Or the black-sheep of another family. He struggled early with drug and alcohol problems. He's been clean for years but he hasn't caught up financially with his successful siblings. And they never let him forget. They act as though they're doing him a favor just by spending time with him. He knows how they feel. They are Christians and see nothing wrong with their lack of forgiveness or acceptance for the wayward brother who turned his life around.

Want to know how people really feel about you? Lose your job and have trouble getting another one. Other people will avoid you like the plague. It's almost as though they think your misfortune will somehow taint them. Silly, I know. But true.

The invitations stop when your financial circumstances take a fall. Of course, you don't have the money for nice dinners out or trips to the coast. No one wants to hear about your job search or struggles to get by. Secretly, the people around you may wonder why you're having financial issues. They leave you to youself to sort things out, if you know what I mean.

I am forever amazed at the wisom of Solomon. The proverbs are so relevant today. I read them over and over and see people I know, including myself, reflected in them. I wish I'd memorized some of them before I learned the lesson the hard way. Others I read and apply, trying to avoid a mistake or attempting to alter my views so they are more like God's.

I want to be the person who welcomes the poor and those who have faced a few of life's struggles. I want to be compassionate and kind. I want to remember that all of us have made wrong turns of one kind or another. I want to treat others as equal to me. We all belong to God. We are uniquely created in His image. We are all worthy of love and acceptance, forgiveness and support. All of us, rich or poor. God doesn't check our bank accounts. He checks our hearts. What does yours look like?

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Cherish True Friendship

"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." -- Proverbs 18:24

What is a friend? Who is a friend? Many of us know a great many people. We know people at church and at work. We know neighbors and old classmates. We know people at the supermarket and our favorite restaurant. We know a lot of people.

Some of these people we call friends. "My friend from work," we say. Or "I got together with a bunch of my church friends," we tell our neighbor. They are friends of one sort, I suppose. We see them frequently. We have things in common. We laugh and talk and share. Or at least we do until something changes. We move to another church or job or neighborhood. Our interests carry us in a different direction. And those "friends" are just baggage that got left behind.

Sounds cruel, doesn't it? I don't mean it to be. It's just that sometimes I think we use the world friend a little loosely. We refer to people we know as friends whether we truly think of them in that way or not. Then something happens and it kind of sorts everything out for us.

If a person is truly a friend, a different job won't change that. Getting together might be a little more challenging but it still will happen. Same with a different church or neighborhood. Friends make time for each other. Acquaintances just drift apart. They may still like each other but they don't spend time together.

The same is true for wealth and poverty. In Provers 19:4, Solomon tells us, "Wealth brings many friends, but a poor man's friend deserts him." Yeah, you want to see "friends" come out of the woodwork? Have a windfall of cash. People will emerge from everywhere to see if they can get a piece of your good fortune. On the other side, want to see "friends" depart quickly? Experience a job loss or other economic disaster. Most won't even know your name, much less your phone number.

Friends are people who are there no matter what. You know that. There are some people you would drop everything for, give any amount to help, would stand by in good and bad times. Those people are friends. It doesn't make the others less enjoyable. They're fun to be around and have around. The trouble comes when we confuse the two. We spend so much time with the shallow folks who inhabit our lives, that we don't nurture the people who are close to our hearts.

Friends are awesome people to have around. Cherish them. Make time for them. Hold them close and be the best friend you can be to them. They are precious gifts from God. Don't ever, ever take them for granted.