Tonight, Under the Bridge

It was a restless night under the bridge tonight. Many were testy. It looked like a rough crowd. We served meals to about 50 homeless. I was wondering aloud if we would run out of food when a cynical homeless man told me not to worry that this was probably their 10th meal they had been served today. He went on to say that they do not eat much on Fridays and Saturdays because they were all off drinking and doing drugs. As I watched the line being served, I wondered about how much good, if any, was being done. Is this the best use of our time and money?

I’ve asked myself this question many times over the past several years. Most served under the bridge are chronically homeless – not much you can do for them except show them compassion. Some think that this type of thing contributes to the problem, a sort of enabling. Generally speaking, it is easy to see this and all the other stereotypes. It is easy to be cynical.

As I was reflecting on all this tonight, I also noticed one of the volunteers and a homeless man absorbed in conversation. They talked for a good half an hour. When it was time to leave, they embraced. At about that same time, a clear-eyed homeless man came up to me, looked me in the eye, shook my hand, and, with a look of gratitude, thanked me for serving him a meal tonight. These encounters would be easy to miss. I probably missed other opportunities for conversation, compassion, and gratitude tonight.

It is easy to see only goats and weeds; one has to pay attention to see the sheep and the wheat. Loving is a messy business - another good night of learning about it.