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Luke 6:20-21 “Looking at his disciples, he said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.”

When I was in Florida, I ministered to the homeless with my daughter and her church family. We saw a lady in the park who seemed to be in her early fifties. When we approached her, she first looked at us cautiously. When we asked if we could pray for her, she became angry. She picked up her belongings which were in a dingy white pillowcase, and left. Although she did not speak a word, I could only imagine her saying “You are asking to pray for me when I am homeless and hungry; I need more than prayer. I need a place to stay and food to eat.”

Our hearts went out to her and although we tried to assist by giving, she did not want to be bothered. We prayed and asked Jesus to help her. I have been thinking about her ever since. She looked so pained, not physically but mentally. You never know what makes a person homeless or what type of life they had prior to becoming homeless. There are veterans that gave their all to this country that are now homeless. Others may have had a job that just wasn’t enough to support them and fell on really hard times. Sometimes it’s a mental illness and sometimes it could be an addiction.

According to humanrightscareers.com, “On a global scale, poverty is one of the most significant root causes of homelessness. Stagnant wages, unemployment, and high housing and healthcare costs all play into poverty. Being unable to afford essentials like housing, food, education, and more greatly increases a person’s or family’s risk.” Crisis magazine also states,” There are social causes of homelessness, such as a lack of affordable housing, poverty, and employment, and life events which push people into homelessness.”

Whatever the cause, it’s a heartbreak. One thing certain, quite a few of us are one, two, or even three paychecks away from being homeless ourselves. It’s easy to walk pass the homeless as though we don’t see they, as though they are not worthy of us taking time to say hello due to their circumstances, but the bible says, “And the King shall answer and say to them, Truly, I say unto you, inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these, My brothers, you did it to Me.” Matthew 25:40

Be blessed family and know that we all deserve to be loved and respected.

Be blessed in Jesus’ name.

Mary Simmons is a columnist for The Kenbridge-Victoria Dispatch. She can be reached at aboxoflove37@gmail.com.