In Today’s World…

The ordained minister began talking by saying, “Today, watch some slides and let them speak to you.” The huge screen at the front of the church lit up. It showed pictures of destruction from hurricanes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters. There were pictures of woods and fields covered in clothes, undefined clutter, and streams covered in debris. The pictures reminded the church members to think about how this kind of devastation leads to human pain and suffering. After the pictures stopped, the minister asked the congregation to respond by shouting out their reactions.

People began shouting Bible verses about the call to help and care for others. When folks shouted out the words of Jesus, saying this, there was applause of affirmation.

After a few minutes, the minister asked for silence and for all to quietly pray. Next, the minister asked folks, “What did you hear God’s Spirit saying to you?” There were replies saying they were to raise cash. One suggested that those impacted would need listening ears, then asked for volunteers to train for this task. Many voices said they would sign up. Others suggested that they take tools and labor to those places. There were many calls for support. The gathering felt pleased as they were doing God’s work.

When the comments slowed down, the hand of the projectionist went up. “Yes,” asked the minister. “Well,” said the projectionist. “I loaded the wrong presentation.” The minister said, “It doesn’t matter you got God’s message across.” But the hand went up again, “You don’t understand, the pictures were ones I took last week.” The projectionist spoke in a loud voice, saying, “Those were pictures of local homeless camps.”

One elderly member stood up and said, “Maybe it was a mistake, I was fooled into a different world. But it was good to see this eye-opening presentation. It exposed the pain of those we ignore. I thank you for opening my eyes and heart.”

Another stood up and said, “Hurricanes, tornadoes, and other disasters are natural disasters. The homeless folk made these messes. We love to say they brought it upon themselves.” And then said, “My friends, that is a constant blaming and judging statement. Folks, we do not want to hear, or to understand anything about homelessness except that they are a blight to our pristine community. We do not want to listen to why they live on drugs. Perhaps drugs chose them because the addiction helps them escape life for a while.” After a deep breath, he continued and said, “How come we are so prepared to help one group of folks in need and yet hate others?”

With silence in the room, the speaker added, “In natural disasters, people’s homes are destroyed, and lives are shattered by a natural disaster, but for many homeless and drug addicts, their lives are shattered by inflicted long-term human disasters. Maybe some were born with very low self-esteem reinforced by uncaring families; perhaps some or many live with mental health issues; perhaps some lived lives where they never felt loved; and I could say much more.”

Another stood and said, “My friends, homeless people feel they live beyond human caring, so why would they want to care how they look, how they live, or the disorder they create with garbage and in their lives.” With this, the speaker, emotionally spent, sat down.

Then another rose and addressed the church by saying, “You know I work in a store near one homeless camp. I constantly hear people chirping and saying, ‘The homeless can change, if they want to. They can stop drugs, if they want to.’ Folks, we are assuming they know how to stop. They do not stop because they cannot stop. We are on the outside looking in, and they are in the inside, and they can’t see out.” As the speaker sat, the room became quiet, perhaps it was because many were consciously or unknowingly in reflective prayer.

One stood and said, “How are they any different than the rejected blind, crippled and lepers’ of Jesus’ day?” Then they added, “If Jesus took the risk and openly dealt with those society deemed of no value, shouldn’t we? I once heard that dealing with people on the edge is the centre of the Christian faith.” The speaker sat down. There was silence.

As one in attendance, how would you respond to those images?