The New Outcast

The Rule: You have to be dirty, dying or diseased to be an outcast.

In the District shopping center, I observed something. A timeshare mall sales man was trying to course a couple into purchasing some timeshare, but the couple kept walking past him, saying no thanks and coming up with excuses why they can't stay and talk to the guy and even purchase some sweet property.

I realized something. People don't avoid the homeless, the vagabonds, the orphans and widows, the dirty, dying and diseased because they are repulsive. The bystanders avoid the destitute because they feel something is going to be taken from them, may it be money, time or even pride. I notice, I don't feel the timeshare salesmen anxiety when I am with the homeless or sick when I posture my heart to give. Look at it this way, we cringe and dislike salesmen when our hearts are postured to not want to purchase something, but when we have a desire to buy something we seek out the salesmen with much gusto. In fact, I get frustrated when I can't find a salesman and I want to make a purchase. I have even been flustered when I wanted to give to the homeless and yet I couldn't even find them. You see, it's just a matter of intentionality. If I designate my time, and my resources to the poor before I engage them, I don't have that anxiety.

Maybe what we need to do is always keep our hearts, resources and time postured to give, and then when we get caught blindsided by that homeless person by the freeway we can show Christ's love. Heck, we can even show some love to the poor salesman at the District. He might not need food, but maybe some respect.