My blog is a man in woman's writing :P
We guess http://thepursuitoftheholy.blogspot.com/ is written by a man (57%), however it's quite gender neutral.
This was so funny I had to share.
Pony Meets a Ghost
13 years ago
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Choosing homelessness
India has a caste of social outcastes that they call "untouchables." They are born into this group, and die there, and make a living handling things that the Hindu religion classifies as "unclean." Things that nobody else will do. Even their possessions are considered polluted. Pushed to the margins of their own faith and society, many will never know love and understanding.
Our society has untouchables too: we call them "homeless." Except we believe that they did it to themselves. They got this way because they refuse to work. We call them lazy. We call them addicts. We call them bums. Animals who dig through our trash; they have long forgotten what it means to me human. Resources exist if they would just seek them out. We believe that this is the life that they have chosen for themselves, and continue to choose.
But there are few absolutes when it comes to homelessness; the only thing that sticks is that they are much like the rest of us. They aren't lazy, and they aren't all addicted. It isn't that clear-cut. Many are simply victims of circumstance: loss of employment, eviction, the combination of high housing costs and low wages. Statistics for homelessness in Rochester prove that they are very much like the rest of us. Most of us have high insurance costs, car payments, college loans, rent or mortgage, and many other financial obligations that threaten to drive us deeper into debt. We are a nation that lives beyond its means. Most of us are a paycheck away from failure, and loan collectors aren't forgiving by nature. A job loss can easily put us on the streets.
It's difficult to think about homelessness in these terms because it brings the problem back to where we live. To the nice neighborhoods, to the hum of the lawnmowers, to the vinyl siding, to the whir of air conditioners. Most of us can't really afford to live in this dreamworld, and yet we still do. The American Dream is built on a house of cards, and can fall just as easily. It's pretty humbling to admit the homeless as our equal.
Besides, since when are we allowed to judge? At no time in Scripture does God allow us to commend ourselves. James 2:1-12 reminds us that we're not allowed to judge, or to play favorites. And what do we have that God did not give us?
Instead of issuing judgment on the less fortunate, let's bless and uplift them. God expects no less from His children.
Our society has untouchables too: we call them "homeless." Except we believe that they did it to themselves. They got this way because they refuse to work. We call them lazy. We call them addicts. We call them bums. Animals who dig through our trash; they have long forgotten what it means to me human. Resources exist if they would just seek them out. We believe that this is the life that they have chosen for themselves, and continue to choose.
But there are few absolutes when it comes to homelessness; the only thing that sticks is that they are much like the rest of us. They aren't lazy, and they aren't all addicted. It isn't that clear-cut. Many are simply victims of circumstance: loss of employment, eviction, the combination of high housing costs and low wages. Statistics for homelessness in Rochester prove that they are very much like the rest of us. Most of us have high insurance costs, car payments, college loans, rent or mortgage, and many other financial obligations that threaten to drive us deeper into debt. We are a nation that lives beyond its means. Most of us are a paycheck away from failure, and loan collectors aren't forgiving by nature. A job loss can easily put us on the streets.
It's difficult to think about homelessness in these terms because it brings the problem back to where we live. To the nice neighborhoods, to the hum of the lawnmowers, to the vinyl siding, to the whir of air conditioners. Most of us can't really afford to live in this dreamworld, and yet we still do. The American Dream is built on a house of cards, and can fall just as easily. It's pretty humbling to admit the homeless as our equal.
Besides, since when are we allowed to judge? At no time in Scripture does God allow us to commend ourselves. James 2:1-12 reminds us that we're not allowed to judge, or to play favorites. And what do we have that God did not give us?
Instead of issuing judgment on the less fortunate, let's bless and uplift them. God expects no less from His children.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
