Discussions on homelessness and our city seem to be occurring more and more frequently with the divide between 'sides' seemingly enormous. At a recent meeting with folks from the Coalition to End Homelessness in Macon I posed this question: Who should we feel most sorry for - the homeless community who drinks on the street corner all day urinating and defecating in the alleys, or the business owner who works 80 hours a week and has invested his life savings in a struggling downtown restaurant?
The immediate response of the Coalition member was - I will always answer the homeless.
What are your thoughts - and why?
7 comments:
I want to say the business owner. It seems easier. It seems like honest work. It seems that it's not his fault. He is doing "everything right" and reaping little benefit in the land of opportunity. But I can't say him. He just needs my encouragement. I don't want to pick the homeless. I don't want to cause he makes me angry and he doesn't work hard and he abuses himself and perhaps others. He's usually manipulative and diseased by his own choices. But I have to pick him anyway. Because his issues are not rooted in a bad economy (likely, though they increase his numbers). His issues are somewhere deep inside of him. His pain and past and disease that lead to more pain and hopelessness and disease. It is the homeless man that needs to be redeemed.
can't we be equally compassionate to both?
can't we be equally compassionate to both?
We look at both, the homeless guy and the restaurant owner, and see the surface needs. The homeless guy needs food, shelter, a job, etc. The restaurant owner needs his business to do well and a break from work. Of course those physical needs matter, but what they really both need is Christ, and without him, they are buying into something that doesn't last. So I feel sorry for both. Honestly, the coalition member can say all day he feels more sorry for the homeless, but what is being done to address homelessness? What practical plans are being put into place to help those people? Or I can say, I feel more sorry for the business owner who is missing out on his life for the sake of the restaurant, but do I speak kindly to him? Do I eat at his restaurant? I guess all I'm saying is stop talking, and start DOING! We can and should be showing compassion to both.
I've thought about this question off and on today and come to the conclusion that I could not give a answer as a whole, since we're all unique individuals every homeless situation is unique unto itself. Now the portrait you painted and I quote "the homeless community who drinks on the street corner all day urinating and defecating in the alleys" is probably the worst of the homeless, and judging by statistics more than likely male, at least the vast majority. In my opinion "most" of these guys are perfectly content with where they are, they like the handouts, the sympathy and the total lack of any responsibility, for that matter I would like some lack of responsibility myself sometimes. So having said all that, my answer would be the business owner, in this particular scenario. Jesus did not reach down in the muck (spiritual homelessness) and snatch me out...he let me choose first. Maybe this is the lifestyle they chose, maybe not. Tough question. Oh by the way..What's up Keith..long time no see brotha.....
First, I'm thankful that Jesus reached down into the muck of my spiritual homelessness and snatched me out. Second, I think we can learn from Jesus' interaction with all people. He always seemed to consider the "whole" person: spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically. I wonder if having this perspective would keep us from compartmentalizing people and help us see all of humanity with series needs and issues, only wrapped in different styles, colors and expressions. Having said that, I think we can be incredibly confused on what "compassion" looks like in the context of the homeless. Our "I'm here to help you" attitude probably deteriorates the compassion.
I love reading the different perspectives. what type of compassion are we talking about? What are we to do about either one? I am bothered by it being okay to punish the business man with parking tickets but doing nothing about the vagrants messin in the alley and peeing on the doorstep of a business...I have seen it and it is an everyday occurence, just as the open containers on the streets. So, do we continue to enable the homeless in their lifestyle and disable the business owner? There are many homeless who have mental issues that my compassion will never do enough about, they need somewhere off the streets to be and it is beyond me how that is going to happen in our society.
So again,what type of compassion will really make a difference in their life? I am not being judgemental, but honestly asking...
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