What WOULD Jesus do?

Last night, like most Monday nights, we picked up Carey and had dinner with friends. Good friends, the kind who will help you move in the rain. Plus, Paulette is a GREAT cook. We had our regular small group, finsihed a study on Ephesians, discussed what was next for our little group and then said our good byes and took Carey home. After we dropped him off, we ran into another friend, Harold. Wow, this was pretty special, we NEVER get to see Harold.

Before we headed out for our Monday night fun, we watched the local news and found out there would be a meeting at Mahon Library regarding our homeless population in Lubbock and what to do with them. You see, the city council is appalled that the homeless have 'stuff' and has no place to keep it. They don't understand why the homeless urinate in public. They just want the problem to go away. Mahon library is where our homless community stays. There is a canopy all the way around the building. This provides shade and keeps them from getting wet in the rain and snow. This is so important, mainly because there is no homeless shelter in Lubbock. Since I am pretty passionate about the homeless problem in Lubbock, you can imagine what kind of mood the news put me in. I stomped and ranted about how rediculous the city council is and "How dare they". The news crews just showed the pictures and said the words, putting our friends out there as unclean, just plain dirty. This really irritated me, to say the least.

Oh yea, I was talking about Carey. You see, we picked Carey up at Carpenter's Church. Just down the street from Mahon Library, which is where Carey lives. We saw Harold a block or two away, standing in his alley, dreadlocks hanging in his face, wearing his brown coveralls, like always, year round. We left both guys with new sleeping bags and the promise of bringing new ones that were heavier and would keep them warmer during the winter. Carey has worked his whole life, living paycheck to paycheck, but working none the less. He was an electronics technician. Then he lost his sight. He can still see, somewhat, but certainely not well enough to repair the delicate electronics as before. He is a child of God, he is a minister, he is a friend, he is a disciple. Carey is homeless, and we love him.

I don't know book, chapter and verse but I know some of the stories in the bible. The one that comes to mind is the pool at Bethesda. I won't re-tell the story but, Jesus healed the invalid that had been there 38 years. Healed him on the spot. Can you just imagine! There would be some serious happy dancing going on if I had been there! Then, those with "authority" stepped in. First, telling the man he was not allowed to carry his bedroll on the sabbath, then, they went after Jesus because he did this sort of thing on the sabbath. Seriously, this sort of thing, HE HEALED A MAN! Other than moan and groan about things they didn't really like, what did they do on the sabbath?

This type of authority is what we are dealing with in Lubbock. A council that just wants the problem to go away without having to get their hands dirty. They want to moan and groan about the problem because a homeless population does absolutely nothing for the beautification process going on now. Not only do they refuse to do something, they DO NOT want anyone else to do anything else either. Nope, no healing going on in Lubbock! Not on this watch!

Jesus lived for us. He lived to save us and to heal us, each and every one of us. Whether we have a home or not. He died for our Carey just as he dies for our mayor. Carey totally understands that. Don't really know how the mayor truly feels about it, but I do know, there will be no healing in Lubbock during his "sabbath".

My prayer today is for wisdom and courage. God, please bring me the ideas to change this and the courage to fight this battle.