Monday, May 14, 2012


1833- HENRY

I’ve been getting together with the homeless guys these past few days- I haven’t seen Henry in a while and I thought I better check up on the guys.

Henry- who I have written about a lot- is one of the close friends from the street.

He grew up in the north east- Mass. - so we have ties.

Henry is a true bible scholar- I mean I might mention a verse and Henry will quote the entire chapter- it’s kind of like a Rain Man type thing- but instead of remembering the gambling numbers- he does it with the bible.

Anyway we had a good fellowship- we went for a nice ride over the causeway and headed towards Rockport- just a chance for Henry to see the area.

I went to pick him up at the boat dock where he works- but missed him- caught him at the mission.

I gave Henry some money- he doesn’t drink or get drunk [or do drugs] with the money so it’s not like I’m contributing to the delinquency of a senior.

When we got back to the house I cooked a few things for Henry- though he did not want me to- yet he ate well.

He likes to catch the sports on my Direct TV- he’s a sports nut- knows all the latest stats- reads the scores in the paper- or catches a coffee at the Mexican restaurant and watches the sports on the tube.

From what I have picked up over the years- I think Henry used to be one of the top wrestlers at his high school- till this day- Henry looks to be in top physical shape- like he works out- he’s a few years older than me- 52?- yet he’s a health nut.

So he likes being able to catch the multiple sports channels on my TV.

Henry had a good day- and for a real homeless guy- looks the part- you would never know what a straight shooter he is.

One time we were sitting at the homeless mission and they were gonna do the Lords Supper.

I said ‘great- I'm in’ Henry did not partake- he later told me it would be a violation of the apostle Paul’s order to the Corinthians not to partake with sinners- and yes- some of the guys were drunk.

Yeah- he was right- I just felt like I needed to partake at the time.

The next day I took a ride to the bay front area of our city- one of the most beautiful downtowns you will ever see- many post cards have the area highlighted.

I just took a walk by the bay- and spotted a homeless girl- I was surprised- I rarely have seen them in that area.

I talked to her a little while and gave her some money- she was a Black girl.

About a mile down the road I also saw a Black kid sleeping on the bench- obviously homeless too- I think she might have been with him.

The other day I mentioned that in the next few weeks I will try and read/study 1st John.

He is the 3rd ‘pillar’ in the 3 main church leaders that we wanted to cover.

Even though I barley started reading the letter- I know one of the main themes from John is ‘he that obeys Gods commands is from God’.

John hits this theme a lot.

And then he says the command is ‘he that sees his brother in need and does not help him- how can Gods love be in you?’

This theme is repeated over and over again in John’s letter- and it’s the same message Jesus gave when he was asked what the great commandment was.

‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and might- and your neighbor as yourself’.

Jesus said ‘on these 2 hang all the law and the prophets’.

Yeah- this is the major emphasis that we will look at when we cover his letter.

I think I will try and see the guy’s today- maybe go down to the mission for a little while.

Not all of the homeless are like Henry- Henry works- does not get ‘a check’ [if you knew how many young guys- perfect health- are all getting govt. checks it would make you sick].

 No- Henry- like some of my other friends [Tim] does not live off of the welfare system.

They do eat the free lunch at the mission [which I do not- I don’t take the meals that are intended for the poor] yet I see retried/working people drive up in the cars- or on their motorcycles- and they simply come for the free food.

The mission even has said to me ‘John- eat- because the more people who sign up- the more money we get’.

Geez- I know they mean well- but it’s like when I worked at the fire dept. - we tried to use all the money in our budget- even if we didn’t need it- just so they wouldn’t cut our budget the next year.

So we need to keep these things in mind when the accusation is made politically ‘they want to take food from grandma- kids’ in some of these cases its food from people who have it- but they prefer the free meals instead.

All in all I focus on the truly needy- the guys who have lived their entire lives on the streets.

Yeah- John said if we see our brother in need and don’t help him- then how can we say Gods love is in us?








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