Fifty miles down, fifty to go.
As I’ve roamed all over town these past five days, I’ve run into some of my homeless friends. This got me thinking about 2007, when Kenny started taking me with him to visit a huge homeless camp in Nashville. Before our initial visit, Kenny shared something he’d learned when he first began serving the hungry and homeless. “Sometimes we assume way too much about the poorest of the poor,” he said. “For one thing, we have no business assuming that the reason they’re lacking is because they don’t know the Lord or they’ve lost their faith. Yes, sharing the love of Jesus with people is crucial, but it’s possible that the most destitute person you meet today knows Him far better than you do.”
His words have stayed with me to this day. Again and again, they’ve proven true. For example, my faith has been made stronger because of one of the most impoverished women I know. We’ll call her Jasmine.
I’ve watched Jasmine go through some horribly difficult situations. She’s not homeless, but she’s endured long periods of time without electricity and/or water. Her rickety vehicle has broken down multiple times in the years I’ve known her, and she has struggled with major health issues. Cancer has ravaged her body and sometimes causes her intense pain. From time to time she messages me to ask for extra prayer because her pain level is particularly bad. Even so, she never complains. There’s not even a hint of self-pity in her messages, and she always finds a reason to thank God. Jasmine’s love for God seems truly unshakable.
One day, Jasmine landed in the hospital as her physical condition spiraled out of control. This was whole new layer of trial by fire, and as I made my way to the hospital to see her, I wondered what she might be thinking and feeling. As I walked into her hospital room, however, she broke into a huge smile, and her face lit up. Thankfully, the doctor had ordered pain meds, so she was feeling some relief and was able to chat. Within the first minute, it was clear that even in this difficult circumstance, Jasmine viewed all of life through the lens of her love for Jesus. She found multiple reasons to be grateful to Him because her life and heart belonged to Him completely.
Miraculously, Jasmine is still alive, and to this day I’ve never heard her complain about her troubles. My life is richer for knowing her, and I hope my own faith becomes as complete and unshakable as hers. Are you teachable? Have you ever learned something of deep value from someone who was destitute — or perhaps from a child, or someone who was mentally challenged? Let me know in the comments. It’s time to lace up my shoes and start the sixth leg of this prayer walk. Until next time, may the love of God be made complete in you. Talk to you soon!
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