As usual, I don’t know a thing about your particular situation, but it did remind me of another homeless person I–along with over a hundred others at one time or another–took in, trying to help him.

When he was with me, he threatened to beat up our 8 year old children for something or other, so my forgiveness-challenged wife explained it he ever raised a hand to those small children, he had better be ready to move out.

He decided to leave immediately rather than limit his freedom to attack small children.

A couple of years ago, he was staying with a 78 year old woman who took him in out of pity. She took him to church with her one day and he got into it with the preacher because the preacher asked him to stop texting during the service.

Yes, I know the preacher was completely wrong to make such an unreasonable request. I went to a funeral a couple of weeks ago and was amused to see how many teens were texting each other during the service. He was obviously in the wrong church or else he should have turned off his tone which sounded loudly every couple of seconds as the lady in Maryland or the one in Mobile, don’t know which one it was, sent him another text.

He drew back to strike the preacher but finally reconsidered. He finally decided to leave the state when reminded that one of the grandchildren (come to think of it, the same small one he had threatened years before) had threatened bodily harm if he ever hurt his grandmother–which he had while fighting her.

You wish you could help, but sometimes you just can’t. In fact sometimes when you think you are helping, they are thinking they fooled you again.

David for better nephews
and recognizing the impossible
and protecting the weak

You remind me of a time our church’s benevolence committee kept helping a lady with her utilities bills–month after month. It was a time when most of the members of our church didn’t have air-conditioning but she did, yet left the doors open while it was running. She didn’t have to conserve, we were going to pay her bill.

When finally asked what she was doing toward becoming self supporting, she let us know she had to drive to a gym in Pensacola three times a week so she could get into shape to look for work. Made sense to me.

Finally we had a less understanding pastor. He explained we would help her move to Pensacola if she needed help. It angered her that we were cutting off her money.

She moved to Mississippi to live with her rich aunt. Looking back, we were just holding her back by helping her month to month with no goals in sight. Her aunt REALLY needed her.

I wonder who we actually COULD have helped with the time and money lavished on her. My respect for the benevolence committee decreased.

Yet people complain when all churches don’t help all people who claim to need help. They know THEY shouldn’t be bothered to help or even consider what would actually constitute help, but also KNOW the churches should help by giving whatever is demanded.

David remembering many other examples

” They haven’t asked for help” answers the question. People should be free to do as they wish as long as it doesn’t hurt other people. My father was amused to note that most people talking about hard times usually had a cigarette or a beer-or both-in their hands while moaning about how hard-up they were.

Why don’t we just cut to the chase and raise our taxes enough to give her and everybody else a new house every few years? These houses tend to run down very quickly if not kept up and it doesn’t seem likely it will.

David admiring a pool table in front yard of someone else,
knowing they’re going to need another free house soon too