Time and time again, I've sat down with ten open books, eager to "solve" the poverty/homeless crisis plaguing our city. In truth, I haven't accomplished nearly enough, and I often wonder - how can we effectively provide hope to those who have fallen victim to a life on the street?
Clearly, what we are offering/providing isn't working or there wouldn't be a proliferation of homelessness. So what will work? While I don't have an answer, I can offer a radical approach - how about we ask them:
How would they end homelessness?
How would they treat a homeless person?
Would they curb drug/alcohol use if they had a roof over their head?
I think that the answers to these questions would be quite insightful. And if only they (the homeless) had a voice in society, then perhaps, together we could entertain solutions that could end homelessness. If only...that is.
Additionally (I am going to be very careful how I word this,) I think that it is great that there are church groups out there that assist the homeless. I am not a theologian but I think it is important not to give our homeless clients false hope that "Jesus will lift them out of homelessness." They may eventually be lifted out of homelessness, and quite plausibly Jesus will have a hand in this miracle. But I also believe that Jesus works through people, and I want our homeless clients to seek the help that they rightfully deserve and desperately need.
It appears as though we (society) continue to judge their way of life. We must look past the drugs and alcohol, and the social differences. After all, nothing exacerbates a person's issues faster then the lack of food, money, and shelter.
