It shouldn’t be assumed that just because a person is a Christian that they care about all people. It’s an attribute that has to be learned over time just like many others. The problem is that pre-conceived ideas about who people on the streets are, what they do, and whether or not they’re a threat to civilized society exist and take a concerted effort to overcome.

It’s not that people hate the homeless. Maybe they’re afraid of them. Maybe they don’t know how to help. Maybe they think they’re dishonest with their intentions when asking for money. Perhaps there are already ideas about what they need to be helped off the streets when the realities are entirely different.

Usually when someone is approach by an individual on the streets, the request is almost always for money. This is easy. Holding out a cup or a sign with “need money” doesn’t require a conversation. It doesn’t require much effort, and the line of thinking is that usually most people will have a couple of bucks they could spare. It’s entirely possible that the money could go to something legitimate or otherwise, but if we were to get to the bottom of what people on the streets really need, that would be friends. We mentioned in the previous blog post that most people are on the streets because of broken relationships, so it’s our job, particularly as Christians, to be the Good Samaritan that doesn’t walk by.

It’s seldom convenient to do so, but making even a little bit of effort to come along side someone as a friend can be the start of a life-changing process that hand-outs simply can’t provide. When we extend trust first and when we take time to learn what’s really going on with people, we can be in a considerably better position to offer the right kind of help. If after hearing a story and you’re not in a position to offer long-term assistance, please have them reach out to us so we can connect them with the proper resources.

Emmanuel Labor was designed to coalesce faith-based instruction and practical resources for lending a helping hand the right way and with long-term assistance in mind. We encourage you to browse through our resource library to find out things you can do immediately and by yourself that will reprogram your heart and mind to see each person as the masterpiece God created them to be. You can also support our cause by either donating or volunteering on our weekly outreaches. If you’re interested in having Paul come speak at your church, organization, or small group, please contact Paul directly at paul@emmanuellabor.org.