My heart breaks to know many Christians and I have disregarded certain people because they’ll buy booze with my change, they got themselves into this lifestyle, or their parents were piss-poor. It breaks my heart the most to realize I focus more on HOW they got there than the fact they ARE there.
I am broken at reading the story of the prodigal son and knowing the father did not withhold compassion because the prodigal chose this life. I am hurt not to find the prodigal’s father within me and my friends; this father who realized only one thing in the moment. He realized his son needed compassion and love. YES, his son DID choose this life. His son DID use the father’s money for booze, sex and other disgusting things. These are all realities, but the father chose to realize only one thing: his son needed compassion, love and relationship.
I am broken at the reading of the prodigal son’s brother and finding myself resonating, “Exactly! He’s been there at home serving his Dad faithfully. And now look!”
I am broken to my lack of compassion, love and relationship with the least of these.
Are these things excuses for these people’s current life choices? No, but I cannot overlook the fact it just may be part of the reason. Never mind how they got where they are; the fact remains, these people need compassion, love, relationship, and Jesus, and I have all of these to offer.
The other thing about the brother… he received his inheritance early as well, he was just focused on the wrong things to enjoy it. He was complaining about ‘not having’ when he ‘had’ the whole time.
Truth
Word!
to your mother
P.C. I had an opportunity to show compassion toward young man, named Derrick, who was outside a Subway just yesterday. As Scott and I were transferring my handicapped Dad (who is 87) into the car, Derrick came walking up. I expected him to ask for money but he didn’t. He said, in his drunken state, “Hey you know we are all gonna die!” And I said back to him, “You’re right! We just don’t know when!” He went on to say that he’d probably be in jail when he dies because he couldn’t pay the $60.00 he owed the bail bondsman and he was expected to be picked up by a cop anytime that day. Again I was thinking, “He just wants my money – and I don’t have that much one me.” So after we got my Dad in the car, Scott went on to bring him home and I walked toward Derrick – because my car was right behind him. When he saw me coming towards him, he immediately said, “I don’t want your money! I really don’t want your money!” I told him that I didn’t have that much money on me anyway. He proceeded to tell me that he would just go spend it on alcohol. I decided that I needed to try to help him somehow – even if I wasn’t sure what that would end up looking like. So I knelt down next to him… he was sitting on a curb – and he started to “tell me the whole story” as he put it. See, he is a recovering heroine addict who has been “clean” for 4 days – but has turned to alcohol to cope. He said he was in trouble with the law and just knew it was a matter of time til he ended up in jail. I inquired about the past due payment he owed and if there was anyway I could help him with that. He said, “No.” He went on to tell me how he and his girlfriend are living in his car right now because they can’t afford a place to live. He said that he recently had decided to quit stealing and this meant that they had no money for rent. Well as he continued to tell me his story I told him that there were services that could help him. He wasn’t interested in hearing about them. He said he was a “bad person and had an addictive personality and nothing was gonna help.” I then had the opportunity to tell him him about my families struggle with addiction and that the only way we found our way out of it was because of Jesus. I told him that God loves him even in his drunken state – even that very moment God loves him. I had no idea if what he had told me was the truth or a bunch of lies – all I knew was that he was struggling. I asked if I could pray for him and he said, “Yes.” So I prayed for God’s hand of mercy to be on him and to help him through his crisis. After I prayed for him I asked him if he was hungry. He said that he was thirsty. Then he said he had not eaten all day – it was about noon. So I asked him if I could buy him a sandwich and a bottle of water. He said, “Yes.” So after I got him his sandwich I helped open up the bottle and sandwich because he was pretty drunk and I knew it was gonna be hard for him to manage. Unfortunately,I knew I had to go because Scott was waiting for me with my Dad. As I left I felt like I had not done enough for him. I have been praying for him all day today – and trusting that God knows where he is today and what he needs. I pray that others will come to him and help him more than what I could do. But even those prayers don’t erase the fact that I wish I could have done more. In reality, it is only by God’s grace that I am not out on a curb somewhere as well…
That is amazing Willie. Our compassion does not ever have to be “giving the money”. Our compassion is simply showing up when it would be easier to keep going. You showed incredible compassion and love. How beautiful that moment was!
You and me both, friend. Reading this post reminded me of my own lack of compassion toward certain types of people. I do focus more on how they got there than on the mere.fact that they are there.
I hear ya loud and clear.
Really great reminder for me today. Thank you.
Great post, P.C.