From time to time I remember a certain day from a couple of months ago. I was outside the van I use to transport supplies. I had unloaded some cardboard boxes onto the sidewalk since I was going to discard them.
A well-dressed, carefully manicured stranger was walking down the sidewalk. She was absorbed in her phone. She didn't even look up when she neared me.
Right around the same time, a homeless woman who I'll call "Lisa" walked up to me and asked me if I would like some assistance. She started to help me to rip up some of the boxes.
I was struck by the contrast between how the two women treated me. The one who society sees as a well-adjusted individual did not interact with me. The other one, who society views as a maladjusted person who fails to meet economic expectations, was the one who offered to aid me in my work.
Lisa, who is homeless, gave of herself. She volunteered to serve.
Someone might say that I knew Lisa, and that is why she inquired if I would like some help. Someone might further point out that strangers are unlikely to walk up to people they don't know and ask if they need any help.
However, Lisa is not the only impoverished person to ask if I needed assistance when I am working on a task outside the house here. Other poor people of various levels of acquaintance with me have volunteered to help me when I am occupied with work outside.
People help when they are humble. When people are poor, they have been humbled, and so they help.
Humility drastically increases the likelihood that someone will volunteer their time. A humble person, having lost, sees the necessity to give, and thus is ready to give of themselves.
We receive from humble people. When we are surrounded by poor persons, we receive.
In giving of themselves, humble people implicitly welcome others. Since homeless persons here in Redwood City often are considerate and give of themselves, I feel such a sense of community with them. I feel supported by them in my efforts to follow the teaching of Jesus that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves.*
Being implicitly encouraged to love my neighbor, I am being welcomed into joy. Love leads to joy.
I feel joy here in Redwood City because the homeless people here teach me how to give of myself and encourage me to love my neighbor. When we give and love, we feel joy.
* Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Leviticus 19:18; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14
A well-dressed, carefully manicured stranger was walking down the sidewalk. She was absorbed in her phone. She didn't even look up when she neared me.
Right around the same time, a homeless woman who I'll call "Lisa" walked up to me and asked me if I would like some assistance. She started to help me to rip up some of the boxes.
I was struck by the contrast between how the two women treated me. The one who society sees as a well-adjusted individual did not interact with me. The other one, who society views as a maladjusted person who fails to meet economic expectations, was the one who offered to aid me in my work.
Lisa, who is homeless, gave of herself. She volunteered to serve.
Someone might say that I knew Lisa, and that is why she inquired if I would like some help. Someone might further point out that strangers are unlikely to walk up to people they don't know and ask if they need any help.
However, Lisa is not the only impoverished person to ask if I needed assistance when I am working on a task outside the house here. Other poor people of various levels of acquaintance with me have volunteered to help me when I am occupied with work outside.
People help when they are humble. When people are poor, they have been humbled, and so they help.
Humility drastically increases the likelihood that someone will volunteer their time. A humble person, having lost, sees the necessity to give, and thus is ready to give of themselves.
We receive from humble people. When we are surrounded by poor persons, we receive.
In giving of themselves, humble people implicitly welcome others. Since homeless persons here in Redwood City often are considerate and give of themselves, I feel such a sense of community with them. I feel supported by them in my efforts to follow the teaching of Jesus that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves.*
Being implicitly encouraged to love my neighbor, I am being welcomed into joy. Love leads to joy.
I feel joy here in Redwood City because the homeless people here teach me how to give of myself and encourage me to love my neighbor. When we give and love, we feel joy.
* Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Leviticus 19:18; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14
Great observation on humility and being of service. All else, including expensive phones, are an illusion.
ReplyDelete