I know radical change does happen, I have seen it. People who change their lives in a moment and it lasts a lifetime. Alcoholics who choose not to drink one day, and never touch a drop the rest of their lives. People, like Zaccheus in the Bible, who are thieves one day and generous givers after an encounter that changes their life. But, I think that this is not the normal way that people change, or the way that God changes people most times. I think change takes time. Sometimes we sit around waiting for God to strike us with lightning or "give us a sign" or a huge experience that forces us to change who we are, and most of the time, that does not happen...and so we are waiting for...nothing. Change is gradual, it is often quiet. If I wished that I was a great hockey player I wouldn't expect to become that after learning how to skate one day, but it seems like if I want to become a great person or Christian I expect myself to change overnight into that person. I have to accept that I know that I am not who I ought to be, but that's OK, I will slowly work at becoming better...please have patience with me, and I guess I will with you.
I have been thinking quite a lot about homelessness (over the last two years especially) and have come to all kinds of conclusions about myself and the things that I (and the church) need to do in order to help people who are in that situation. I have been involved in a few organizations who work with homeless people and met with many people to discuss what I/we should be doing to help. I finally discovered something very important that I can do right now. I am reading t his book called Bent Hope which is a really interesting read. The author is a Youth Worker who works with young people who live on the streets in Toronto. He walks the streets and hangs out with them and helps when he can. He basically just tells the stories of his encounters with people and talks a little bit about what he has learned from them. I am loving it! So, I know what I am supposed to do to help homelessness. In his book, pretty much everyone he encounters he mentions how they come from a family situa...
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