what took me so long to learn

I live in Joplin, Mo. Well, until Saturday. I have lived here for four years. This Saturday I will walk the stage and accept my diploma. If you have been to Joplin, you will quickly see that the only thing we have more of than resturants are hungry people. It's the evil irony. What I want to know is, why have I not stopped to help before this year? Why have I spent the last three years prior reading their cardboard signs but ignoring their needs?

I used to buy into the widely accepted excuse that they will just go spend it on drugs and alcohol. Well . . .maybe they will. Or maybe they will buy a sandwhich or a tie for their next job interview. The truth is we do not know. But I'd rather take the chance and have it blown than to never have taken the risk at all and passed up an opportunity to be a Jesus to them.

The first man I met this year gave out hand carved walking sticks in exchange for groceries. He is confined to a wheel chair and we think lives out of his van but he works hard to make these beautiful walking sticks. He sits and chisels. Then he trades for groceries. He is awesome! I was on my way to hang out with my friends that afternoon and after passing him decided on what we would be doing together. We had a great time!

Today I met Chris. This man was disabled as well, though his handicap was not as visible as our walking stick man. I bought him some lunch and he told me about a lawyer who was trying to win a disability case in court for him. He was a kind man too and so skinny. . .

You know, helping people is supposed to make you feel good about yourself right? Well, it doesn't. It just makes me sad because there is only so much you can do. I can't drive anywhere in this town without seeing those people with the cardboard signs, daring to look you in the eye. Will you look? Will you open your eyes? It took me until my fourth year of college to stop. The Spirit of God finally got through to me. He said, "Is it really that important that you go to Hobby Lobby now?" Can you make time to buy me lunch and pray with me? Yes. Me. That's me standing there."