They didn’t know. They were new. For most of them it was
their first time to walk the streets of a city in the middle of the night. They
were fresh, excited and full of energy. The majority of homeless people in
America have an alcohol or drug addiction. They didn’t know. The streets of
Atlanta are some of the most popular spots in the world for prostitution and
sex slave trafficking. They didn’t know. Hundreds of crimes such as robbery,
abuse, rape and murder happen every night. They didn’t know.
Just after feeling the spirit lead them to buy a piece of
pizza and a coke for a homeless person a woman comes bolting across the street.
Many times a person on the streets will start a conversation with a group of
people to distract them from the people who they have lined up to come and rob
them. They didn’t know. She had all the signs of a heroin addict. Scars from
injection in her neck and arms, not an ounce of fat on her body, teeth rotting
away, fancy jewelry and watches. They didn’t know. She asked if she could have
a couple bucks for some food so they gave her the pizza and coke but she wasn’t
really looking for food. They didn’t know. Soon after she found out we were Christians
she began “preaching” to us which was more like a slurred collection of
everything she had learned throughout the years which in the end didn’t make
any since. One more sign of a heroin addict. But they didn’t know.
They listened to her story. They gave her some dinner. They encouraged
her. They prayed for her. They cared about her. They let her know she was
special. They were Jesus to her. They made a difference.
Sometimes I think we need to stop being people who know and
start being people who love.
