But that's just not true. You read books set during the Great Depression, and you immediately think that the past is in the past, and that you don't have to worry about this happening in this world, at least the US, a first world country. Don't say that isn't true, because I think the same way sometimes. There are poor people in the US. There are plenty of them, in California alone, that when you pull off the freeway, they are there. You know who I'm talking about. Those people, standing on the off-ramp, holding a cardboard sign, "HOMELESS. NEED MONEY FOR FOOD. GOD BLESS."
Those are the ones with better luck. My family and I were driving down the freeway when my mom started crying. When I asked her what was wrong, she pointed out the window and said, "Those poor people! I feel so sorry for them..."
On the side of the freeway, just on the other side of the chain link fence that marked out where the freeway started and the pedestrian area began, was a community. Not little blue houses with little white picket fences, but tents, right next to the freeway, with whole families living inside them. Poor people, waiting on the side of the freeway for a job, for someone to help them, for anything that could take them out of that predicament. They are the people that we are charged to aid in Matthew 25.
[31] “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. [32] Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. [33] And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. [34] Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. [35] For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, [36] I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ [37] Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? [38] And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? [39] And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ [40] And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ [41] “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. [42] For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, [43] I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ [44] Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ [45] Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ [46] And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46 ESV)
The least of these. Those poor people on the side of the road. You may say, "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?", but if you say, "Lord, Lord," and go help your second cousin once removed when he gets thrown in jail, but you won't help that veteran that is unable to help himself now that he's on the side of the road, the Lord will say, "Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to me."
Those people are just like you. They just don't have a house. They are the least of these. They need help, financially, spiritually, mentally, and physically. They are just people. They are not creatures of the night intent on taking thousands of dollars from people for no reason. They actually need the assistance that people don't give them. Some people think that the poor don't deserve that money, they're too low in society to need to be given money. That is as bad as the caste system in India.
People think that the homeless and the poor are like the Untouchables in India. The Untouchables are the lowest caste in that country. They are, in fact, so low that they are considered caste-less, untouchable, below society. They are shunned by everyone else. It's not right to treat anybody like that, but at least in India, it's a matter of religion. 83% of Americans classify themselves as Christians. If they were, would they shun so many people? The Bible says to care for the least of these, not treat them as the dust under our feet!
There is real poverty and real homelessness even in the land of the free, the home of the brave. This world is not as it should be. Homelessness and poverty are unavoidable. The people most affected in 1929 were the rich ones who were playing the stock market. Even the rich are not safe. We could all end up homeless and poverty stricken eventually, and it doesn't matter just how much money you have.
Some people, I'm sure, are just too scared of getting mugged by those homeless people to get out and give them money. Well, what if you were that lady pushing the shopping cart down the street? What if you were the little girl waiting with her mom for the first car to stop? What if you were that little girl's mom, wondering if you, along with your husband, would have enough food for your family? What if you were the husband, wondering what you could have done to get your family into this predicament?
What if you?
I hope that you learned something from this, and thank you for reading this blog.
Au Revoir~ Triniti
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