Imagine being homeless for a second.
You were in jail for years, and when you got out, you were left to be on the streets. It's January, and it's very cold, even snowing at times. You are a nice person, and you strive to be pleasant in order to stay at the mission or a church for each night of the week. You don't own much, just the clothes on your back and a few letters or documents. You find yourself at a church one night, privaledged to be a part of their shelter for the evening. A man from the church walks up to you and begins talking to you. He seems genuine and wishes to help if he can. You tell him that really, you are in need of a coat. Within a weeks time, the man meets you on the street, buys you lunch, and gives you a coat. The week passes, and you are blessed to receive a ticket from the mission to stay at that same church again. The man is back. This time, he brings you a backpack, toothbrush, toothpaste and deoderant. This man barely knows you, why is he doing this? You begin to talk to him and open up and inform him that you do have family, however they are living in Detroit and you haven't spoken to them in many years. The man vows to you that he will find them. As a few days pass, the man finds you on the street and tells you that he has found your family. What do you think? He allows you to talk to your family on the phone and vows to you that he will get you home to them. By now, about two weeks have gone by. You are now at the bus station with a ticket bound for Detroit. what is going through your mind? You life has now changed drastically in only two weeks. For whatever reason, you are attacked. What do you do? You call the only man who has shown any interest in you in a long time. He comes to pick you up. What happens next? Wait for it........
I'm sure my family will kill me after I write this, but too bad. Let me start by telling you that my family and my husband's family are very different. Neither good, bad, right or wrong. Just different. Having been raised differently, it is very difficult for me to see the relationship that my sister-in-law has with my mother-in-law and it is difficult for me to understand some of the things and reasons why my in-laws do the things they do. With that being said, God has blessed me with in-laws and a relationship with them that is more than I could have asked for. Many times people clash horribly with the family that they married in to. We have our moments....don't get me wrong. I can honestly say, however, that my relationship with David and Linda is one that I am blessed with. David and Linda are wonderful Godly people who would never toot their own horn, and I can promise you that they will tell you that they are only doing things and acting as God would want them to. David has spoken many times in the last month or so to our church and each time he says "Our role as a Christian is to constantly live a life trying to be more like Christ." That's all we can do, and that's what we are called to do.
The man in the story has a name. His name is Pruette. The church man also has a name. He is my father-in-law. After Pruette was beat up, he lived with David and Linda for about 3 days until the snow in Detroit had cleared and the bus could leave. David and Linda were not the only ones who helped. Many at the church donated to help get Pruette back home.
I'm not saying that everyone needs to take in homeless people. Honestly though, how timid are we to do the right thing sometimes or to even be nice to someone. David drives me crazy sometimes, because he is ALWAYS in a good mood. How many times do we let our hurt, bad feelings, or fear get in the way of doing what Christ would want us to. Please do not go thanking David and Linda and commenting on the whole situation. They will say exactly this "We were only doing what we felt was right and what we felt, as Christians, we were called to do"
Don't get me wrong. I have a loving and caring Father and family. My dad works very hard throughout the week and at church. He helps out at the pantry, which many (I'm sure) try to avoid because they just don't have time. God has blessed me with family and in-laws that live for Him. I just wanted to pass along the story because I thought it was a neat one.
Are you striving to be Christ-like?
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