This is what one student, Emily, wrote on a piece of cardboard this past week when we were "homeless" for a day. When I saw this, I could not help but know that I was that person coming into this summer. I was that person that judged based on appearance and status. I was that person that chose to ignore what or who I did not want to see. I somehow thought that maybe if I just ignored reality, the situation would go away. The problem with that is if everyone ignores situations such as, someone being homeless, then nothing ever changes and no one gets the help they need. I just finished reading a book called, Under the Overpass, and when Mike and Sam (2 college students) decide to be homeless for 5 months. They realize that the kids that walk by them on the street notice the homeless men because they are at their level. These kids have not learned to only see what we want to see and judge or disregard what we do not want to deal with. We judge before we know and that makes us begin to go with the flow and never step out and actually question what we know or how we act. We just do what is normal and routine without checking it with Scripture to see if this is what we are called to do as Christians. Jesus says this in Matthew 25:37-40:
The opportunity is right in front of us to love instead of pass judgment or ignore the situation. We can share Christ's love by just being relational and loving one another. In John 13:35 Jesus says, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
This past week before leaving for Btown Kids (we go to a park and play with kids, eat hamburgers/hot dogs, snow cones, do face paint, bubbles, play games, have a lesson, etc.), a woman named, Nike, said, "If you are going into this with the mindset of, 'Oh, I'm just here to love on these little poor kids', then that is the worst mindset you could possibly have going into this." I couldn't help but realize that was my mindset coming into interning at Bridgetown. I had a major pride issue in thinking that I had more than the people I would encounter this summer and that I could give them something that they've never had or experienced. Little did I know that God would completely break me down and make me realize that I have nothing compared to these urban city kids, homeless people and lower income families because these people have real love. Whether that's them watching each others' backs on the street, welcoming you into their home or having a little girl hold your hand that you just met. I am not better than any of these people. We are all on the same level and are no different from each other. We may look different, talk different and maybe even act different, but we all have one thing in common...we are children of God. We were all made by the same Creator and therefore are all of equal importance. I have learned this before, but it is just now becoming true for me in my life and perspective. Everyone deserves a chance to love, dream, hope and live their life for Christ. The question is, are you going to step out of your self-centered routine life and actually do something to make that happen for someone else?
Starfish Story - There was a little boy walking along the beach who saw all of these starfish drying up on the sand and dying from the sun. He started throwing them back into the ocean one by one. The little boy was holding up a starfish and an older man came up to him and said, "Why are you trowing these starfish back into the ocean? Can't you see that there are thousands of starfish out here?! You will never be able to save them all. Just stop, it doesn't even matter." The little boy threw the starfish he was holding back into the ocean and replied, "It mattered to that one."
"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. What I can do, I should do. And what I should do, by the grace of God, I will do." – Edward Everett Hale
