Resolution.

We are now in 2007, and although I have been pondering this for a weeks now, I've decided on my official New Year's resolution. I know this is something I should already have been doing, and I do try, but I'm going to try to be be much more focused on it and intentional about it in 2007. My goal is to really think about how Jesus would love people and to do my best to imitate it.

This topic has been heavy on my heart for several weeks for many reasons. First of all, the temperatures are dropping, and Columbia is full of homeless people. What are all the people who have shelter and warmth doing for those who don't? I worked at an event called Homeless Connect not too long ago. It was held at an emergency shelter, and many vendors were brought in for one day to inform those less fortunate about services that could help them out, such as housing assistance, employment opportunities, mental health services, etc. They also had immediate help offered in wheelchair repair, AIDS screenings, and haircuts, as well as handing out contraceptives, socks, and free food. When I got there at 6:30am the line of homeless were waiting out the door to get into the warmth. I worked at the greeter's table, and watched as several couldn't fill out their information forms right away because their hands were numb from the cold. The vast majority could read and write, which surprised me. Many were war veterans, several were handicapped, and a few looked as ordinary as you and me.

Several of their stories touched me, but one in particular hit me hard. The overwhelming majority of homeless people at the event were African-American. (I think this is more than just coincidence and shows something is still terribly wrong with equality of opportunity in our society.) This middle-aged white man walked in wearing jeans and a Gamecock pullover. He could have easily passed as a volunteer. But then he came up to the information table and asked if he could stay at the shelter that night. He informed us that he had been living in his storage space, but that he didn't think he could make it there any longer with the weather so cold. He was very well-spoken and polite. I told him I would find the man in charge of the facility for him, and he asked me to please hurry because if he missed the bus then he would be late for work. Luckily the facility was able to accomodate him so he wouldn't have to try to survive the night in his storage space. The point of this story is that we never know what the person we pass on the street or in the grocery store is going through. I would have never guessed that this man was homeless and worried about how he was going to survive the night.

The project was a success. Here are some of the stats:
218 homeless individuals participated
80 applications or appointments were made for housing assistance
38 applications or appointments were made for job training programs
13 applications or appointments were made for mental health assistance
58 applications or appointments were made for benefits assistance programs
20 applications or appointments were made for disabilities services
300 pancakes were served
350 hot dogs were served
100+ haircuts were given
2 wheelchairs were repaired

The homeless that participated were asked to fill out exit surveys before they left the event. According to the project director, "The overwhelming majority listed the People/Volunteers as the one thing that they liked best and then went on to write personal comments about how 'friendly, nice, and helpful' you all were." That really hit me. They were given free food and a ton of services, and the thing they liked best was the human contact. The love shown by the volunteers.

I think my first and foremost responsibility, and God's second greatest commandment, is to love my neighbor as myself. I think I have trouble always seeing people as individuals with feelings, needs, and dreams. It is difficult sometimes not to see people in need as a project or to judge them for the circumstances they are in or choices they have made. Then I start to think about it and the only thing that separates me from them is that I happen to have been born into a good home with a great family. God has blessed me and He wants me to use those blessing to go out and help others in need...not to just throw money at them, but to truly love them and let them know people care about them.

The other circumstance that has made me reevaluate whether I try to love as Jesus loved is that recently one of my greatest friends in the world informed me he is homosexual. He had kept this from me for a very long time because he was afraid of how it would affect our friendship. His own brother doesn't even talk to him anymore.

This all happened right after the gay marriage debate in SC. Now I still haven't figured out exactly where I stand on all of this, but I do know it's not as black and white as I once believed. I do not believe that people get to choose what gender they are attracted to. As my friend told me, if this were this case, no one would CHOOSE to be gay because of the social stigma. My heart breaks for people facing this dilemma, as I cannot imagine not being able to love/marry the person of my choosing. I know that God has His reasons and they are infinitely more wise than my own, and I trust that He will gladly explain one day.

What I do know is that a friend should never feel like he can't confide in me because he's afraid I will judge him instead of love him. I do not like how society has made homosexuality such a bigger sin than greed, pride, or lust, or even gossiping and judging. And maybe it's just me, but I have a difficult time picturing Jesus standing in line on election day to vote against gay marriage. I think He would have had more important things to worry about, like loving people and providing for their needs.

In summary, in the new year I would like to quit seeing people as homeless or homosexual or whatever the case may be, and start seeing them all as Jesus would see them and then begin to love them accordingly.



(I understand I may have disagreement on this subject and that's okay because I don't mind additional insight.)