“Get a Job”

Fair Warning- This blog may make you heavy or uncomfortable. 

[IMPORTANT- The homeless situation is tragic. There is no attempt to make fun or make light of anyone in this situation. While this is a true story, empathy, sympathy and help is still offered.]

Never in a million years would I have thought I would be an advocate for the homeless.  For so long, when I’ve seen them on the street corners, I’ve thought, and sighed aloud to myself or under my breath, “Get a job”.  I would never give them money to buy drugs. Never. (Oh, and as they say, “Never say never.”)

In 2012 after thirty-six years teaching, I retired and used my drop money to buy some properties in a low-income area of the city. Some of the places needed roof work, some needed flooring and the list goes on. I have family who would be willing to help but these projects take serious time and my family members  have their own lives so I looked for other ways to get the jobs done. Being in a low-income area, there were a lot of homeless camps and people roaming the streets.

I would see a guy on a bike in the area and I’d stop him and say, “Hi, I need some flooring work done, do you do that and are you willing to help?”  With the homeless, the answer is always, “Yes” so I had able-bodied people to help.  What was never clear until working with them was if they really could do the job.(That story is for another day).

There are different groups in life.  There are people with ailments, disabilities, gifts to sing, talents to create, jobs to build, and on and on.  The homeless are in a group all by themselves.  Just like other groups have specific characteristics, so do the homeless. The homeless are driven. Just like the opera singer at the most prestigious concert hall, the singer focuses on one thing- singing.  The homeless (on a whole) focus on one thing- how to make money to pay for their habit of choice?  

Yes, there are homeless who have mental issues, however, my experience is that the majority of homeless have a drug of choice problem and live to get that drug.

Regarding characteristics of the homeless: They are pack rats, dirty, messy, appear lazy(but so many are not), often late, don’t follow through, have trouble getting places and there’s more but that’s a start.

In working with the homeless, I’ve come to know them as people with a name and a story to tell.  While they do not generally tell too much, in working with them you get to know a lot about them and find that they too have feelings, dreams, families and needs.

Where I stand now with the homeless is that it is definitely up to the Church to step in. Every single person who is in the body of Christ should witness to every single homeless person they see. Give them Jesus.  That’s it!  That would be the only thing to change their lives and yes, sometimes that means telling them about Jesus then shaking that hand with a bill in it.  

Ever single church in the city of Jacksonville should have some type of ministry for the homeless . The number one goal should be that the homeless hear the Gospel of Christ that saves and importantly that delivers.

There is NO other way for them to change without God and there is a church on every corner who should know God and offer Him to those in need.

So I say to the church, not the homeless person- “Please… Get a job” in the business of sharing Christ with the homeless who are desperate to know Him. Jesus could transform their lives.

See you Tomorrow,

Nan