A Faith Story

September 17, 2013 at 3:16 pm (Spirituality)
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The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17

This is an email I received from my Dad… I thought I’d share it.

2 DAY AT MC DONALDS PORT CHARLOTTE  FL === MOM & I WERE EATING R BIG MAC’S === I SAW A STREET MAN WALK IN CARRYING AN EMPTY COFFEE CUP IN === HE GOT IT REFILLED & SAT DOWN === WHEN WE WERE LEAVING I BOUGHT 2 SANDWICHES & FRIES === I PLACED THEM ON HIS TABLE & SAID I LOVE U BROTHER & WALKED AWAY === HE CAME AFTER ME & SAID I DID NOT HAVE 2 DO THAT & HE WAS IN SLOW TIMES === I TOLD HIM I WON LOTTERY & HAD EXTRA MONEY === HE SAID HE LOST FAITH IN MANKIND & THIS GIVING BROUGHT BACK HIS FAITH === WE TALKED , HE SAID HIS STREET NAME IS GHOST ( HE IS QUIET & NOT SEEN ) & I TOLD HIM MINE IS SOCK MAN === WITH A HUG WE UNDERSTOOD R ACTIONS === I LEFT SO CHOKED UP I COULD NOT SPEAK ( THAT IS HARD 4 ME ) === MOM SAID 4 $3 A MAN’S FAITH WAS RESTORED === I THINK IT WAS MORE THAN THAT === WHAT DO U THINK ?????????????????????????  === TELL ME OR OTHERS YOUR STORY OF FAITH === I WOULD LIKE 2 HEAR IT=== S.M. [sockman]

Is it really that easy to restore a man’s faith? Can 3 dollars at McD’s do that? Do we have a street name? A secret word that defines us? There can be brutal honesty in the monikers we chose. And whose faith was effected the most? I believe it may have been my father’s. And was this more than a faith story. I believe so.

faithThe spiritual faith we have is supposed to be through God. All things are possible through the Lord. But part of our faith is the obedience that goes with it. And part of that obedience is detailed in Matthew 28:18- 20. “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them inthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Did you notice the words say “make disciples.” The words don’t say “Tell people about me.”

Part of discipleship is living the way Christ wants us to. This is how we spread Christ’s message. My father was sharing love with “Ghost.” God is all about love. And that is how we should witness, by showing our love. Ghost needed love. He lives in a world that doesn’t care about him anymore. But my dad did. And Jesus does. The message of God’s love is a message of hope. Restoration knowing you’re one of God’s kids, an heir to his throne. That was what my father was sharing, and it is so much more than simple faith.

faith 2My faith story? I think it is still being written. It has taken place in some dark places. Hundreds of people showing up at our son Michael’s funeral. Their presence was a connector to God that kept me going. Jail was another dark time. I felt no purpose for my life, just wanting to die. There was a fellow inmate named Clarence. I remember the ever-present smile on Clarence’s face. He shared with me why he had that smile- GOD. Harry Watson, a Chaplain at Summit County, also had that same smile and an angelic presence that let me know God cared. He is the main reason I serve as a Chaplain at the same jail today. During all these times a small group of friends and my family remained ever-faithful to me. They are the people I am close to today.

faith 3Now it is time to write someone else’s faith story. I spend my time Jail talking to guys society doesn’t want anymore. Their own families often abandon them. They find their friends were pretenders never to return- until they need something. When I talk to them I always let them know I love them, and so does Jesus. It is sad that they may not hear that form anyone else. The homeless man on the street has been exiled by society as well. A smile accompanied with “Jesus and I love you” may restore faith. A sandwich may be the only gift they receive from anyone. To sit and have a conversation is restorative love. And that is why I think my father’s encounter went far beyond faith. He moved Ghost to hope- something I hope you are never without. I’ve been in the darkness of hopelessness. Thank God for those who lift us out despair.

God Bless,

Mark

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10 Minutes

June 18, 2013 at 10:55 pm (Spirituality)
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“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”  Mother Teresa

do you have time?

do you have time?

He takes his 16 year old daughter to school every morning. Since mom and dad are divorced this means he comes to pick her up. Part way through the year she shared with her dad that he was going the long way to school- 10 minutes verses 6 for the short cut. He smiled at her and said “OH!” Little did she realize dad knew that from the first day he brought her to school. Do we have time for ten minutes in our children’s life? Are we dependable in delivering that ten minutes? Dad hopes that ten minutes a day changes her life. And it may, even though she may not realize it for years.

…Being there counts. Our efforts may not be recognized in the present- is that really the point anyway? Being there is a gift that will last a lifetime.

As she was out running errands she drove by the nursing home where an old acquaintance lived. She wondered do I stop in, or visit some other time. She remembered going to a funeral the week before- maybe there wouldn’t be a next time. After all, we are reminded in the Bible that tomorrow is not promised. Her friend was excited that she visited, the first visitor she had six weeks. She didn’t die that next week, but she did have a happier week than normal.

…When we don’t have time we really do. That ten minutes in the life of a lonely person may be life changing. We need to make time for them in the present.

Would you help him?

Would you help him?

The street lady pulled her cart. It got caught on the curb as she crossed the street. Everything in the cart spilled. Folks stayed away, watching with detachment. A tear rolled down her face. Everything in the world laid in the street. A picture and frame got crushed by a car. Someone finally stepped forward to help her but the only picture she had of her deceased daughter was gone forever.

…Is our time reserved only for people we know? Strangers have back stories and lives too. That includes those who society has deemed as disposable. And yes, they have tears too.  

He was very busy, working a hundred hours a week. But today he had stayed home, it was his wife’s birthday. They had a glorious day together. She was very happy. The only problem was that two days later he was back to his routine and she felt ignored. She sat in her bedroom weeping, it was only 363 days till her next birthday.

…There is no way to catch up for lost time…we need consistent attention in our relationships. Busy doesn’t count, it just revealing our true priorities in our lives.

She was so sleepy. The kids were up late, work was exhausting, and cleaning the house had kept her up past midnight. Certainly God would understand her sleeping in. She would get back to her morning prayers and church next week. She made that promise as she drifted off to sleep.

…When we schedule, God has to come first. If he isn’t our priority nothing else will flow in place.

We have all been on both sides of some of the time vignettes I described. I personally have been on both sides of all of these situations. The most valuable resource we have needs to be treated as such. And we need to manage time with others in mind… we don’t live in a vacuum. I need to pray more to the Lord about managing my time. It really is a matter of wisdom, and can’t we all use more of that?

God Bless,

Mark

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Everyone

February 18, 2013 at 3:46 pm (Spirituality, Uncategorized)
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“For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings” 1 Corinthians 9: 19-23 ESV
We all have our comfort zones. We would rather hang around with folks worth similar interests and lifestyles. As Christians we tend to want to hang around with people of similar religious philosophy and spirituality. Most of us don’t go to someone’s house to have church. We don’t see pews at work (Well some of us do.) We don’t go on the street corner to look for God. My question, why?
As Paul evangelized to people in Asia and Europe he encountered three different groups of people. The Jews, Gentiles and non-believers. Each of these groups had subgroups with different beliefs as well. Paul could have been very comfortable preaching and evangelizing to one of these groups, yet he chose all of them. Paul’s message in 1 Corinthians 9: 19-23 talks about this.
First Paul talks about being a servant. He has free will. He doesn’t have to do anything. But God wants him to do something. Paul is to be a servant to his fellow men. All of his fellow men. We don’t get to pick and choose who to serve, not if we are doing it God’s way. It’s never about us in God’s house. It’s all about God.

 

Will you fight to spread the name of Jesus?

Will you fight to spread the name of Jesus?

I like to think of today’s the Jews Paul talked of as the very churched. We love to hang with our fellow parishioners. We even pick churches where we fit in. We have so much in common with them. It is an easy place to be. So easy that we often overlook behaviors and attitudes that are not spiritually correct. In many ways it is easier to be morally and spiritually bankrupt in church than anywhere else. If we are spreading God’s word we have to do it among ourselves as well. We have to hold each other accountable to God’s word.
Those under the law? My modern day analogy are those seeking God but not there yet. They may know the Ten Commandment- or most of them. They know there is a Jesus. But they do not understand what their relationship with Jesus Christ is. They will go from church to church. Sometimes they sit at home thinking they can be close to God without church. There is a sense of apprehension about discussing their spirituality with others.
If we don’t take the time to approach them and tell them about Jesus they will stagnate, often lost to Christ forever. We need to go find them, they will rarely find us. We may find them in the last pews of church, at work, or even in social gatherings. But they are there. Will we have the passion and take the effort to find them?
Then there are those who are “outside the law.” Those who choose not to believe in God or have never heard of Him. They too are at our work and social gatherings. It is way less comfortable to talk to those people. We can be called Bible thumpers, Jesus freaks. They will attempt to refute all our testimony. We will often fail. But if we don’t tell people about our Lord and Savior we deprive them of the joy that we have. Once we talk to them we need to give God a chance to do his thing, reaching their hearts

.

He needs Jesus too> Will you talk to him?

He needs Jesus too> Will you talk to him?

There are also places we don’t like to go. Street corners, homeless shelters, jails and prisons are full of people who don’t know Jesus. The lifestyle of folks in these places can be very different than ours. But they truly need to know we love them, that Jesus loves them. If there is any group that can gain from a relationship with Christ it is these folks. Jesus says in Mark 2:17 “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” If we imitate Christ, we will find the sick as well.
The mantra Peter uses for all these groups is “to win”. It is truly a war with victory. Victory in the joy of spreading the word of Christ. And if we remain obedient and in love with Christ we will fight it. In war we don’t know who we’ll face. To win this war we have to become all things to all people. Paul says so. We have to become all things to all people. We have to embrace our fellow saints, wandering questions, and those without hope and/or knowledge of Jesus Christ. We need to meet all these people where they are, not where we want them to be. That’s how we win the war.
God Bless,
Mark

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Helping our Prodigals

December 2, 2012 at 5:23 pm (Spirituality)
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“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. Luke 15:13-20

Are you stuck with the pigs?

Are you stuck with the pigs?

We all know the story of the prodigal son. He asks for inheritance early, blows it all, and ends up becoming a feeder of the pigs. But what made the son change his ways and come back home? It is a tough lesson to learn, and a harder one yet to follow. What do we do with a family member or friend who is struggling?

The husband is an alcoholic. He drinking is so out of control he is hurting everyone around him. So who will change him? His wife? She prays for him to change.  But he thinks she’s just being a *&^* about a little booze. His friends? The decent guys he used to hang with have all but abandoned him. His new friends suffer from the same illness he does. The homeless man, no one even wants to walk on the same side of the street as him. The prodigal son stood in the pig slop, alone with the pigs. He had burned all his bridges of help, including his own father.

Will God help? The Lord would love for us to change. God can help execute that change. But God wants us to ask for that change. God expects for man to want change badly. That is the point. If we are in one of those dark places nothing will happen until we want it- desperately.

What help is essential? God's help.

What help is essential? God’s help.

Self-initiated change doesn’t mean we shouldn’t help others. The alcoholic may remember the 20 times AA was mentioned to him. That may be where he starts when he is ready for change. The homeless man may be aware of a job program that is offered at the shelter. When he wants a job he’ll make use of it. We also need to help with issues of safety, health, and basic well-being.  That same homeless shelter will feed and put a roof over the head of someone at night. The prodigal son had a plan to ask for help. He planned on asking his dad for a servant’s job. But it was his plan, not his father’s.

Helping basic needs isn’t the same as enabling somebody. We give a jacket to the homeless person who is cold. We don’t hand them cash that will go, well… where ever. The alcoholic may be too sick in the morning to get up and work. That doesn’t mean we call them off, making an excuse for their absence. The prodigal son didn’t need anything more than those pig’s pods to eat. Money or better food may have distracted him from his true circumstances. Discernment is required in knowing what to do to help someone.

Lord please help this man help himself.

Lord please help this man help himself.

What happens after the person seeks change in their circumstances? They still need to do the work themselves. That doesn’t mean that we can’t offer assistance. But the journey is theirs to complete. The alcoholic has the cravings for booze. Only they can conquer those cravings. The homeless person needs to reestablish the foundations in their life. We can’t work for them. They need to take steps themselves to get the roof over their head. When the prodigal son took the journey home, he travelled alone. No one even stopped to give him a lift on the long journey.

So how do we make a difference? Love and acceptance. We don’t need to accept behavior, just the person. Knowing that they are loved may help give them the strength to overcome challenges. We go to meeting if asked by someone who is suffering. We volunteer at the homeless shelter, look the men and women right in the eye, telling them we love them. The prodigal son’s father did that, embracing his son as he returned.

Can we do that? Loving in difficult times is something many run from. But our role is crucial. Today we need to do our part, and pray to God. That prayer is for strength. Strength for those who are hurting. Strength for them to ask God for help. Strength for us to love and accept them the right way. And finally, strength to accept what is not in our power. Amen

God Bless,

Mark

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75

November 27, 2012 at 5:37 pm (Uncategorized)
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Editor’s Note: Sorry about the absence of my Blog lately. Just finished a 9 day stretch of craziness at work, home stuff, Thanksgiving, and volunteering. I promise to return to the 2-3 Blogs/week pace. Mark

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:14-17

Today is my Dad’s 75th Birthday. He has spent his “second life” volunteering tirelessly in a ministry that others avoid like the plague- helping street people. He has bought and passed out over 11,000 socks over 20 years. He talks to the homeless about Jesus. But most importantly he lets them know they are loved. I really think he is more comfortable on the street than anywhere else.

The Bible talks about respecting the wisdom of our elders. So without further ado here is some of my Dad’s (Sockman’s) wisdom.

Dad on listening: two ears – one mouth – so we can listen more than we speak. ‘We often act our shoe size, not our age.’ Things I heard listening.

Mr. Matthews on love: A friend of mine drove 35 miles to visit his wife in a nursing home . He would brush her hair, talked to her. She did not know him and would complain. But the next day he would drive 35 miles and give understanding love again. A friend of mine has a big old dog. The dog is his shadow, they live outdoors. He would like to leave area, but will not leave dog behind. It is nice to have a shadow of love in our lives.

Sockman poetry: When I go to my home daylight leaves and dark comes. I must be very careful about light; it will give my home away. Unwanted bugs, animals come to visit in the dark. I await daylight, it is a friend. I am homeless.

Dad on mistakes: Mom & I asked a young lady about her tattoo meaning? She replied man wrote wrong word on her, now she lives with a mistake.

Mom on Dad: Yesterday Dad met a man outside of McDonald’s who was obviously hungry and probably homeless. Dad approached him and said “I am hungry and I sure would enjoy some company for lunch”. The man was thrilled and enjoyed lunch with Dad. He then said that his friend was across the street, and not allowed to enter McDonalds because of previous panhandling. Dad then ordered a take-out lunch for him. The best part of the story is that Dad told me how lucky he was to have stopped at McDonalds and met these 2 new friends! We all need to work on being so humble.

Dad on outcasts at church: Yes, I know aka “Harveys.” I have attended a church that had ushers at the door to keep the “Harveys” out, but there are lots of great churches that welcome the “Harveys” of the world. A truly great church was St. Timothy Bible Way Church in Barberton, OH. Rev. Bell & the congregation accepted me how I was. The church is now gone, but it lives within me. They taught me the true meaning of Brother & Sisterly love. I still hear the sound of song, tambourines, tapping of the feet and clapping of hands. I was a “Harvey” entering there

Dad on facing rejection: After I retired, I applied to ring a Salvation Army kettle bell. I did not pass, although at that time I was allowed in Salvation Army shelters. So losing your burger job runs in the family. With my ringing job loss, I have never applied for another. How could I put that on an application? Love dad.

Frank(another nickname) on gratitude: A friend received a bike wed at All Souls Church, not a tour de France bike. We could see its value, tire sort of bulged out , friction tape fixed that , air in tires and it was ready.  Sometimes in life we have to put a Band-Aid on and enjoy what we have . Two gentlemen at All Souls Church had no shirts so they could not go inside to eat. I had a 3x & a medium shirts , paid 25 cents each , they were not polo de Italy but they worked . The 5 stones [David’s five stones] were not 44 mags but they worked! So if a used shirt or a stone will work, so don’t be so choosy.

Dad on violence on Children in the U.S.: Think of all the military hurt-dead in a foreign country for freedom so someone can shoot children here.

Sockman on the true meaning of Christmas:  Getting ready for street Christmas , candy , socks , t.p.[toilet paper] , zip lock bags , store bags for items , about 20 lottery tickets for a few. I contacted Mac Donald’s for free coupons to give. It is something you do not understand unless you do it.  Where to go I do not know, but God puts you there. I still remember many years ago when I was led to 172 friends in shelters and streets in Cleveland on Christmas Eve. I remember a gentleman saying it is Christmas. So find that man and tell him about the birth of Jesus , it is up to us to find him.

Sockman on answers: Today was a rainy day, homeless men came in shelter wet from days of rain, with no complains. We get a little wet and complain, but we have a warm place and clothes. Mom drove me and helped, she gave some socks out. I asked her, did you feel the peace of giving and getting a GOD bless you? WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ANSWER WAS? Try and find the answer.

Dad on talking to Jesus and Blessings. Recently I was having a bad night. Before Mom called 911, I thought I was speaking to Jesus. Life did not flash before my eyes and I did not get an answer or a buzz. Guess it is not time; so I can give out some more socks. Thanks God for all I have.

Thanks for all that you have taught me Dad. I too am more comfortable in a jail or with someone on the street than I am anywhere else. I give you all the credit for that. Happy birthday and may God’s blessings continue to flow through you.

God Bless and Love,

Your Son Mark

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Love the Jesus Way- Strangers

November 8, 2012 at 7:14 pm (Spirituality)
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It [Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:7

I took a long walk in the woods this morning, following the same trail the Mingo tribe walked 175+ years ago. First- props to the Mingos. I walked 4 miles any couldn’t imagine walking another foot. Up and down glacier carved valleys as your only roads- I’m glad I live in the present day. I did love the solitude of the journey. In 1 /2 hours I saw two people and three dogs. I towered hundreds of feet over the valley floor I climbed, not hearing a single sound. I have to admit after 5 years of being single I actually enjoy time alone.

There is a big but or however involved though. However, love doesn’t occur in isolation. The verbs protect, trust, hope, and persevere don’t occur in isolation. You need another person to interact with. I, like many of us, have no problem doing that for my family and friends. I doubt most of you do. But God expects us to do this strangers and enemies as well.

Who loves him?

Protect?  A teen is getting bullied mercilessly at school. A 21st century problem? The intensity of the bullying is now magnified by social media, but the problem is not new. I’m turning fifty and can remember the names of kids who got bullied at school. Why step in and help them out? Is it really our problem? God says it is. Remember Jesus hung out with the “losers”: prostitutes, thieves, lepers, adulterers, smelly fishermen, tax collectors and murderers.  Yet we (or at least I) still treat some strangers like the kid who got bullied in school. Even in church, the squirrelly member or some who dresses like they are from the street gets treated like they have a contagious disease. And that is in God’s house. Our behavior certainly doesn’t improve as we head out the doors.

Trust?  How do we earn the trust of a stranger? I think of Jesus healing the woman who had bleed for a dozen years [Mark 5:21-43]. Christ was busy at the time. He could have done several things when she touched His robe. Jesus could have yelled at her and asked her what in the *&&%%^ was she up to. When we do this to our fellow man we cast a shadow so dark they may never ask anyone for help again. Jesus could have ignored the problem. Have we even been guilty of that? Jesus could have waved his hand and cured her without speaking. Expedient, but Christ’s message wouldn’t have been the same. If we throw a buck at the homeless man and walk away we haven’t changed anything. What did Christ do? He took the time to tell the woman her faith had cured her problem. The TIME Jesus took changed the woman forever.

Who listens to them?

Hopes?  It is very difficult to dream alone. So many people live in social isolation, never getting to share their dreams with anyone. The elderly nursing home person’s dream may be different that yours, but they still need heard. A teen growing up in a single parent family often is not seen or heard at home. Will we take time to listen to them? Christ listened- to everyone. When the disciples tried to shoo Blind Bartimaeus, Christ listened. When children tried to talk to Christ, the disciples treated them as a nuisance. Jesus, on the other hand, embraced the children calling them part of His kingdom.

Preserves?  It is difficult enough to persevere through tough times with family and friends. The experience can be exhausting. We can be so emotionally and/or physically spent that we have nothing left in the tank for anyone else. But think about the impact of a smile or hello from a stranger. I know there are times when a grin, touch on the shoulder, or a simple hello has restored me- if only for a second. Christ always knew what we needed. I think that is one of the reasons why the fruit of the Holy Spirit needs to reside in us. It helps us take that split second to interact, even when we have nothing left in ourselves.

What restores you?

WHAT CAN WE DO? I know taking a look at ourselves critically is tough. But hopefully it can lead us into an action plan with Christ that changes are ability to love. Here are some suggestions:

  1. Pray for strangers daily. God will answer our prayers. Praying for others is also a great way to keep them in the foreground of your thoughts every day.
  2. Take your “walk in the woods”. We all need personal space and time. When we do recharge we have room for others.
  3. Leave free time in your day. Helping a stranger may only take seconds. Unfortunately these seconds add up over a day. Arriving places even a few minutes early allows time for those necessary seconds.
  4. Jesus said we are all brothers and sisters. So treat these brothers and sisters as you would your family.
  5. Try saying “God Bless You” to every stranger you meet. It may seem strange at first, but repetition develops habits, and habits develop character. And that Blessing will change lives.

I hope these suggestions help. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject. It’s as simple as leaving a comment. Who knows, your words may bless a stranger. Isn’t that what love is all about?

God Bless,

Mark

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What Do You Have? The Florida Chronicles- Part 6

March 12, 2012 at 12:22 am (Spirituality)
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Anyone who oppresses the poor is insulting God who made them. To help the poor is to honor God. Proverbs 14:21 TLB

Bring the mission(food) to some very hungry people.

I went with my Dad to minister to homeless people today.  There are some observations I’d like to share:

  • First, to do ministry you have to go to the saints.  For the homeless men, in Akron, Ohio, it means you go to the Haven of Rest.  The haven provides the essential services the men need… therefore the men are there.  In Lee County, Florida the men aren’t centralized in one location.  Why?  It’s not cold in Florida, so the men stay in the woods at night.  So to provide ministry to them you don’t go to a building.  Today we were at a city park.  You go to a location that serves the needs of the men.  The park had tables for the men to eat at- that’s what they needed.  Often food, clothing and other basic necessities are a great start.
  • You may have noticed I didn’t mention a church.  The homeless won’t go there.  Quite honestly many who go to church don’t make the homeless or others feel welcome.  The homeless are like all other humans who need to feel love.  On the street they reach out to each other for that love.  In church that doesn’t happen. A good lesson for all of us to remember about those who are “different.”     
  • Going to the men is not enough.  You have to provide something they need.  Today there were two groups ministering to the men.  My father provided socks, shirts, and other helpful stuff the men needed.  The other group cooked breakfast for the men.  There was prayer and individual ministry, but first the men were given things they needed.  I’ve heard others describe “the hooks” given to the men as a form of bribery.  I think otherwise.  James 2:14 says: “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?”  If a homeless man walks up to you and asks for a shirt, give him one.  In jail ministry our team gives out socks.  Guess what?  The men need them.  So the “freebies” are a Christian act.  The words that accompany those acts of kindness offer an additional chance to speak and evangelize to others. 

  • This man got the basket for his bike today... It now holds his wordly wealthy

    One questions I asked myself this morning was if daylight savings time would make it hard for the guys to get there?  Answer- NO.  The homeless are just that- homeless.  They are not deaf, dumb, or stupid.  Actually they are a lot smarter about their world than we are.  And today, they found their way to the park- on time.

  • Did you know that most of us don’t come out of the womb homeless?  Somewhere along the way stuff happens.  And along that way we make choices- good or bad.  Four years ago without my parents help I would have been homeless (Lots of bad choices there!).  The one man I talked to today made close to 6 figures a year during the construction boom.  Yes, he made bad choices but he was also a man in his fifties who knew nothing else but his trade.  When nobody built homes for a couple of years, well you get the picture. 
  • Oddly that gentleman and I shared similar views on having nothing material.  We both felt it brought us closer to God.  With no material processions nothing is left to separate you between you and God.  It can feel brutal at times, but the relationship you can develop with Christ makes it so worth it.  Don’t believe me, try and spend your next off day from work outside with no food for a day.  I believe Bible calls it fasting.  Add in a cardboard box for the night and see how you do.  Then do it for a second day.  That walk in someone’s shoes is a difficult on, but it can bring you closer to God.

Lord, today I thank you for the roof over my head and the food in my belly.  Lord thanks for letting me share in the life of the homeless men I met today, who showed me how truly blessed I am.  Lord warm the hearts of these men and light their souls, let them see your true glory.  Let the men feel your love, that they are never alone.  Protect them from things I never think of when I go to bed:  empty stomach pains, snakes, bugs, thunderstorms, and muggers who will kill them for two cigarettes left in their pockets.  And give them hope Lord, for a new and different plan in their lives.  Amen.

God Bless,

Mark

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To Give or Not to Give

April 9, 2011 at 5:39 pm (docmark's philosophy, Spirituality)
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Charity is More than Coins in a Piggy Bank

Suggested reading: The Poor Widow’s Offering (Luke 20:45-21:4)

Proverbs 14:31
He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

1 John 3:17-18
If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Akron is like many cities, armed with its own army of “indigent” people. These folks attach themselves to every street corner in the city, armed with their official Akron panhandler’s licenses (free from the city).  I have always wondered how many of them are “legit,” and how many use this as a job.  My heart was hardened a couple days ago when I sat at a bus stop and watched one of these guys in action for a half hour.  In that time a couple of people gave him money and one generous person handed him a bag of groceries.  As the bus approached so did he, dumping the groceries in the trash (I do have to give him some props for not littering).  He got on the bus, paying cash.  He instantly was on his smart phone trying to locate a spare tire for his car.  I happened to go by the bus stop today and joyously the man was well, panhandling at the same spot… and once again, someone was giving him money.

Here’s the issue.  There are people who need clothes to put on their back.  We can look world-wide, or around a corner and there are kids starving.  People who normally don’t need help fall down in life as well.  Sadly this group of people rarely asks for help.  And yes, there are folks who live in live long states of assistance, a group I refer to as takers.  But do they still deserve our charity?  And how do we decide who gets what/

I’ve been to a nice open field soup kitchen ministry in Fort Myers, Florida where my Dad gives away clothes to street men.  Dad has woman ask for clothes, he reminds them it is a men’s ministry.  He has men who want over-sized shirts…. My Dad tells them no, he has to save them for the larger sized men.  People get really mad at him sometimes.  He feels that if he is doing God’s work, and his money and ministry can serve who he wants, in his case his “Brothers from the Street.”  At the same time others Churches at the same ministry will put out boxes of clothes, and people literally pick up boxes of things they could never use (I presume to resell at garage sales or flea markets.)  Perhaps the money they get from resale goes to a legitimate cause.  And you could argue when Jesus fed the masses, he didn’t require food stamps to be redeemed for meals.

So what is the right way?  First, we give.  We give from our hearts as God wants and Jesus taught.  We can just give charitably and let God judge those who receive.  My one friend has this approach, and will even go as far as to look the person in the eye and remind them they are receiving money blessed by God.  Do we invest time sorting through those in need, and are we any good at judging them anyhow.  Others approach is more distance, I’ll hand you a five out the window, but then the windows back up and they are on their way.  But at least they are giving.  In either case, the ultimate judgment is God’s.  And that is good, because to have a servant’s heart we have to focus on the giving, no matter which side of the argument we are on.  I’m just glad that there still are charitable people left in the world.  Not giving isn’t the answer; the Bible is clear on that point. That is really a point I struggle with when I see rampant abuse of charity. So for me, I prefer to give my money to folks who are experts in doling out help.  In Akron the Haven of Rest comes immediately to mind.  Harvest for Hunger is another great way to help a central cause.  And I know these are places that will accept all asking for help. 

Finally I’d be remised not to mention another way to give.  A reminder that places like the Haven, or the soup kitchen in Florida, need folks time as well as their money.  Which is harder for you to give?  When you get to volunteer at one of those places you also see the benefit of your charity, be it donating time or money, up close and personal.  And your heart feels joy, removing some of the bitterness of a screwed up world around us.

What’s your approach to charity, I’d love to hear from you?

God Bless,

Mark

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Cruel or Kind? (Fruits- Part 5)

March 31, 2011 at 7:31 pm (docmark's philosophy, Spirituality)
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Harvey or Jesus?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 

…until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.  Ephesians 4:13

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

Kindness is so simple yet so hard to define.  I even looked up the definition and found that kindness is the act of being kind.  Not a whole lot of insight there.  So I look up kind and found words like benevolence, considerate, and humane.  The historical context of the word places the act of kindness with one’s station in life.  A master is kind to his servant.  A parent is kind to a child.  A human is kind to an animal.

So to be kind involves the recognition and acceptance of people that are easy to ignore.   People who many of us will go out of their way to avoid.  Let me share a story of a guy, let’s call him Harvey.  Harvey lives near some out of town friends of mine.  He rides, on a bike, to my friend’s church every Sunday.   His bike often has many large bags of cans he is scrapping.  The clothes he wears are those of a street man.   Harvey’s problem is the mega-church he goes to is very affluent.  After church 2-5 people of the thousands who attend the church say hello to him.  He often receives an envelope or two with some money.  In the church people ignore Harvey.  My friends’ are the only ones who would say hi to him or sit with him in the crowded church.  They may be the only ones’ who know Harvey does have a job.  Harvey does have a home.  Before you quickly jump on the folks in that church, look in your own backyard first.  They know Harvey’s bike ride is 6 miles, he passes many churches on the way; he is attending the church he loves.  Is your church inclusive?  I know the issue is complicated and pervasive.  Could a man of the street come hear the word of Christ?  How about a man just out of jail?  A disabled person who wants to sing through the sermon?  Many churches now even have their own security or hired security in place.  A sad sign of our times.  But is that security there for safety, or do they also end up screening the congregation?

I have a roadblock toward those with alcohol addiction.  2 weeks ago I was attending a doctor’s appointment at a hospital.  There was a man lying on the curb, moaning incoherently.  Now living where I live, drunks lying on curbs aren’t that uncommon.  I almost left him there, you know, the curb is as good of a place as any to sleep it off on a warm spring day.  A couple of other folks must have agreed, they walked around him to get into the hospital.  I had a little angel on my shoulder remind me I wasn’t making God happy at the moment.  Begrudgingly, I checked on the drunk.  The first thing I noticed was blood; his scalp had been split from falling on the curb.  He was incoherent, but did get oriented enough to tell me his story.  He was there to see a spine surgeon.  While he was walking in, his legs just stopped working, and he had fallen.  I did flag someone else to get help, and he was transported to the emergency room.  I deserve no credit in the story; only out of fear and obedience to God did I show up, not out of kindness.

Does she sing in your church choir?

I go to jail every Wednesday with my friends.  We talk to rapist, murderers, child molesters, and drug abusers every week.  But they need someone to be kind to them.  They need someone to love them, and tell them God loves them.  And I have to tell you the men we see weekly are the most attentive, polite audience you’d ever meet.  They remember our names, they say thank you, and they learn to pray for others above themselves.  Yet they are a group many would avoid.  We are not a society of second chances.

It is tough work to be kind.  I really need to work on it.  It involves removing our prejudices.  It requires us to love what is not easy.  It requires an openness of heart.  It requires gentleness.  It will take me a while to get there.  In the meantime, I’ll try to do the right thing, for God.  And I pray that all of our hearts can grow, because we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.

God Bless,

Mark         

Galatians 5:22 NIV

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