LETTER TO A HOMELESS MAN

Dear Homeless,
    
I see you wandering aimlessly yet trying to make a daily map of sorts
that you can safely tread.
A thoughtlife all your own that nobody understands
or at least not those who've not been there.
Your security blanket isn't there any more
and you strive to believe one more day you can survive on earth.
You hide
when you see police cars,
you know they will tell you to
leave town.
They don't care if you've eaten,
they only have fear
and
that won't wash you clean,
won't feed you ,
it will move you on
though perhaps this time
to a place where there is no shelter from
daily rains.
You're a long ways from help, I can see.
Oh Homeless, my heart feels your pain—but only to the degree my
mind feels responsible...
then it quits when it gets to be too much.
Maybe you feel that way too sometimes, Homeless.
As your local Christian who sees you daily, I wonder if God is angry
with me
when I pass you by.
You see, sometimes
I use your situation as my excuse
to pardon my
way away from you,
to loose the bonds I feel tugging at my soul saying
that's God's child too, made in HIS IMAGE..
I say to myself you made your bed
and even though it's concrete
and a jillion million cars and semi trucks
zoom over your head and
that is your only music,
it's not "my" fault
and I can barely take care
of myself.
I say to myself, God will get SOMEONE ELSE.
That's important
because
if He doesn't, then "I" am in trouble with Him..
so I just have to believe you are the feather in the wind
and your dog is
your chosen companion.
Maybe your dog's name is "Windsong"..I like to think so.
Some say it's a shame you have a dog
but I see he doesn't leave your
side for a minute.
Some say
you probably give the little food you have to your dog
so it's your fault if you are hungry
and
what
does a homeless need with a dog
anyway
They say you make a hundred dollars a day
out there at the interstate
but you don't look strong enough
to stand long enough to make ten.
I saw your sign blow away the other day.
You know, the one that says "will work for food"..
I thought about making you a new one—but I didn't.
I figure you've got a good selection of cardboard and markers
somewhere..
at least I figure that. Whether you do or not.
I like to think it .
I feel better then. That's important.
My truth may not be "the" truth.
I suppose...no ,I KNOW I must be careful .
I am accountable for what I do
or
don't do
to or for
the Lord with you..
Homeless, that's what they call you..
let me talk with the Lord and ask Him to guide us both
that we can get you where you most long for.
I am praying
for your family to miss you,
to forgive you
or just to find you .
.if you've given up after things went
wrong somewhere in your life
Life's  not fair..I know.
I pray you get HOPE again
and that somehow in this big world
where
money is spent like water—
but you can"t have any—

I pray that somehow there's
applause for the one Jesus Who is going to rescue you..
through me..and my faith in Him.

More tomorrow...
let me see what I can do TODAY for Him
with YOU!

p.s.
HOMELESS I am starting to love you.
In His name..


Lynn Marie Moen

©2003 by Lynn M. Moen

All rights reserved.