Chasing the Unattainable
A word came to me, as I lay in my bed unable to sleep because so many things were on my mind. Why I worry about things that are practically out of my reach is troubling to me knowing that such things come on my mind for a reason. I would assume that this is what you experience once the heart of God comes alive in you. You tend to care more about the things that God cares about. The only problem is that we are not God and most of us are restricted or limited by our situations and circumstances while God has no limits other than the ones He sets.
When I feel powerless to do something about a problem or a concern it baffles me. It is like chasing down into a rabbit hole with no end in sight but you keep on chasing with no results. It feels meaningless. Either I should do something about the concern or stop thinking and worrying about it. One of these two things has to happen otherwise negativity will get the better of me. Once negativity overcomes me then I become a problem for others rather than an agent of kindness and mercy for those who are in need.
For weeks I have been passing by this bus stop on my way for my early morning walk. Every morning I see this homeless lady apparently sleeping on the bus bench wrapped in a red blanket. Lately, it has been cold outside and there are wild coyotes in the area roaming the streets around her. I have a great concern for her wellbeing but I do not know where to start. Should I approach her and offer my help? I would assume that she might be mentally impaired as the case of a lot of the homeless. I thought of leaving some food by the bench but that would attract the coyotes. I thought about leaving her an extra blanket but where would she store it. I always pray for her but thoughts and prayers only go so far in this world. While I am convincing myself of what I cannot do the lady is still sleeping on the bench night after night. Can you imagine what even one night of sleeping outside would do to most of us? What should a concerned fellow human being do?
Perhaps this lady has been strategically placed there by the Lord, drawing my attention to see if I am truly His servant. He said, “I was hungry and you did not feed me, I was thirsty and you did not give me a drink.” Could this be a call from the Lord looking to see what I will do other than just pray and worry? I have a feeling that this will continue to baffle me until I do something to move the needle one way or another. I could make a call to my local police and ask them what would be the proper thing to do, or I could alert our social service agencies to see if they will do something to assist this lady. Regardless I must do something or this issue will continue to worry me.
This brings to mind the plight of the homeless in communities all across our area of Southern California and perhaps all across the state as well. It is not just my state but many cities across the nation are witnessing a rising population of people who are homeless. If nothing is done about the situation it will continue to increase. Where is the concern for our fellow human beings? Shouldn’t we be doing something about this problem? Don’t we have agencies that are paid through our tax dollars to intervene in this growing problem? Our thoughts and prayers will not fix this problem alone unless people with the heart of God in them come together to form a coalition to bring the attention to our leaders and force them to do something about the issue.
In the meanwhile, you have those who are billionaires and millionaires that might be able to spare some of their great wealth if, someone had a plan of action that they could trust who would spend the money directly on the needy rather than on the agencies. If the government would fund the agencies that care for those in dire need like they fund wars and pay our government officials with their plush offices and chauffeur drivers, then any donations from the wealthy would go directly to those in need rather than funding the agencies that are already funded by our taxes.
During my career in the entertainment industry, I have worked at various engagements for the rich and famous. If you could see the extravagance and the waste just to impress their invited guests, it is deplorable witnessing so much food going to waste while so many people are going to bed hungry around the world. This is not a knock on being rich, but shouldn’t they be concerned about wasting so much food that could be going to the needy? To watch that food go in the trash is despicable. “What you do not do for those in need you do not do for me,” says Christ. I too have sinned so I do not speak as a saint. My sins might be different form the rich and famous but they were also offensive to God. So I would not be throwing the first stone at a harlot.
Some of the things that we consider unattainable are within reach, but the desire to do what is right must first come from our hearts. We must not be prisoners of the mind that tells us there is nothing we can do. If the heart of God were in us there is always something that we can do otherwise God would not have brought it to our attention. Our attitudes should be doing things for God’s sake and allow Him to bless it according to the needs He sees in this godforsaken land. Once we rely upon the excuses our mind gives us as a justifiable option then the enemy has won. The people suffered and an opportunity to feed our Lord went to waste. We could have offered Him a cup of water also, but we allowed our mind to offer us a justifiable option so we did… absolutely nothing.
I will not give up on this homeless lady sleeping on the bus stop bench. Some way and somehow I will use my wits to find an agency that might offer her assistance. Once I have done what God put on my mind to do, then that is when I fed the Lord and offered Him a cup of water for His thirst. What I do for this lady at the bus bench I also do for my Lord and what I do not do for this lady I do not do for my Lord.
I see television commercials asking us to feed the hunger in Africa or other impoverished countries when there are so many people homeless and hungry right here in this land. I see people asking for money to adopt a pet or animal which is well and good but shouldn’t we have at least that much compassion for our fellow human beings that are suffering just like the animals. Oh! They are not one of us… right! “What you do for the least of My people you likewise do for me… and what you do not do for the least amongst my people you do not do for me.” If you keep chasing the unattainable for God’s sake He will make it attainable for those in need. What is impossible for man is possible for God. If you see a need perhaps it was God that brought it to your attention… Selah!
