After writing a midterm tonight I walked home feeling a bit frustrated because it hadn’t gone the way I wanted it to go. So it was dark and raining pretty hard, the wind was strong, almost like a Saskatchewan wind. A supposedly homeless guy was sitting in a store entrance way so he wouldn’t get wet and even though I was listening to music, I heard him ask for change from people around me… or maybe he was talking to me, but I didn’t notice. Anyways. I walked a few more steps, but then realized I had some left over cachews from my very healthy supper. So I went back. “Are you hungry?” said I. Obviously he said yes. So I gave him my cashews. I don’t know why but he seemed to be touched in some ways. I have given bits of food to beggars before, they were all happy about it, but not like this guy, he seemed to be impressed by the act itself, not so much about the food he was getting. But anyways. I left. Then I felt like I hadn’t really given him something to chew on. I had hope and he didn’t. So I went back and asked him if he knew God. He said no. So I said, do you know Jesus. And he said “I know of him”. We didn’t talk for more than 2 minutes, but he was saying that religion was a depressing thing for him. Because according to him, the more you grow old in the faith, the more you were tempted. And he didn’t want that. I told him what I thought: that I’d rather had a hard time on earth for 80 years and then be free from sin, than to live an ok life for 80 years and go to hell. That was about it and I left.
I think it’s interesting to listen to what people think of “religion”. It’s impressive that people on the street can say things like this guy said. I think I forget that people have backgrounds and … yeah I am surprised. Anyways, I think I should be spreading the name of Jesus in the thoughts of people around me, any occasion I have.
5 Comments
wow.such guts..i lack that i think.
love the picture btw.
It seems that the picture is hiding part of your writting. It starts with ‘After’ and then there is a picture and then I read ‘I wanted it to go’. Are we missing something or is it that I just don’t get it?
Ray
P’pa… I don’t think there is a problem in the way the picture appears and it is not hiding text… so I don’t know.
You know what? I think you’re right. That’s it. Make Jesus known. The life everybody’s living is like a toast. And the people have nothing to put on it so that’ll taste something. When one person gives a word about Jesus, here’s a corner of peanut butter! Another one comes with his love by action, here’s a spread of nutella and we go one, here’s a tasty toast for a tasty life (as salvation comes, and sanctification) So you’re right Gabe, we need to spread Jesus!
Haha! I love what Chubby said! “Spread Jesus!” We’re toast without him! heehee.
Gabe, I think you’re more courageous than me. That’s very brave to talk to a stranger. And you discovered something good from that, that our stereotypes of homeless people aren’t always true. Very interesting. Actually, I’m thinking something: there is a moment when you had a choice. You had walked away after giving the cashews, and you thought, “I should say something.” That moment, you had the option to keep walking away and go about your business. That would seem more sensible and less scary. Or you had the option to turn around and go back to talk to him. Which might make you look stupid for not knowing your mind, or make you late for something, or just be scary. I think in that moment, you listened to the Holy Spirit and obeyed. I think, often, in moments like those, I drown out God’s voice in all sorts of distractions and “not wanting to look stupid” and I keep walking.
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