Downtown Macon is a city struggling for renewal. There is a constant push to draw residents, businesses, restaurants, shops, stores... There is equally a great push to attract shoppers and diners. The future of a healthy, vibrant city depends on the success drawing new people to the city-center.There seems to be somewhat of a cycle to success - New Shoppers support New Businesses support New Jobs support New Residents support New Shoppers support New Businesses...
Each part in the cycle is necessary. A failure in any one area breaks the cycle and makes success difficult if not nearly impossible.
Seeing, meeting, getting to know some of the business owners downtown - men and women, young and old who are taking a risk and investing themselves, their family, and all that they have into our downtown - leads me to greatly desire their business success. They have much at stake. And they are a crucial piece in the cycle of downtown success. In order for their business to succeed they need consumers to stop in and shop or dine. They need new residents downtown as well - new residents will shop and dine and will bring their friends from places outside of the city to dine and shop as well.
One of the greatest deterrents to the cycle of success for downtown Macon is often encouraged by our attempts at mercy IN our city (part 1 Merciless Mercy). Our attempts at mercy may be creating and supporting a system of dependence that proves to be merciless both IN our city and merciless FOR our city. The system I am referring to provides daily meals, clothing, and money for individuals who do not work and often spend their days and nights drinking and using drugs and who may (often by choice) live on the streets, in vacant buildings, or in tents around the city.
Many if not most of the people living in this system of dependence rely on panhandling to acquire money for drugs and alcohol. This brings them to the city-center where they spend their day approaching consumers and workers begging for money. I have watched as panhandlers have scared downtown visitors, I have seen and heard panhandlers scream and curse at those who do not give them money, and I have seen visitors afraid to get out of their vehicle as a panhandler stood at their door and even knocked on their window.
Without a home or business downtown, these vagrants use alleys and doorways as their bathroom. It is not unusual to see them urinating or to see and certainly smell their defecation. The aroma blows down and out of most of the downtown alleys, spilling onto the sidewalks and into the streets.
So - the cycle is broken. Shoppers, diners, businesses, and residents go to places that do not have panhandlers and do not smell like a port-a-john. And with the break comes a halt to downtown growth and transformation. I believe that we should extend mercy IN our city, however, we should NOT extend mercy IN our city to the exclusion of mercy FOR our city. The new deli on the corner is a huge investment by the owner and his family - he works countless hours and has spent a great deal of money. He is investing his life. Should we not extend mercy to him? Should we not care that his investment is at risk because of vagrants who scare or run off his customers?
We should consider the good of the city as we seek to merciful in the city.
We should question whether our mercy in the city is truly mercy - or is it creating a merciless system of dependence?
If our created system of dependence is wrecking the cycle of transformation that leads to more businesses, more shoppers, and more JOBS for those who are willing to work, is that really mercy? and is it even the greatest mercy for those we are seeking to help?
So how then can we be truly merciful IN our city and show mercy FOR our city?
1) Don't give blindly - take time to get to know the people you wish to be merciful to. They have a name and a story. They have perceived needs, but deeper rooted is their real need.
2) Give to agencies that are doing a good job of mercy ministry. In Macon that includes Loaves and Fishes, the Salvation Army, and the Rescue Mission. These agencies are working to not only feed and clothe, but to find jobs, provide short term and long term housing, connect needy people to addiction/recovery facilities, connect needy with government agencies for food and housing and medical treatment.
3) Volunteer your time to serve in these agencies
1) Don't give blindly - take time to get to know the people you wish to be merciful to. They have a name and a story. They have perceived needs, but deeper rooted is their real need.
2) Give to agencies that are doing a good job of mercy ministry. In Macon that includes Loaves and Fishes, the Salvation Army, and the Rescue Mission. These agencies are working to not only feed and clothe, but to find jobs, provide short term and long term housing, connect needy people to addiction/recovery facilities, connect needy with government agencies for food and housing and medical treatment.
3) Volunteer your time to serve in these agencies
4) Support downtown restaurants and businesses
5) Move your business downtown
6) Live downtown (yes - our home is for sale, so that we can live, work, and play downtown - showing Mercy IN and FOR our city)
Mercy IN our city and mercy FOR our city
