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Spare Change June 2017

Helping the Poor and Homeless

What do we do when we see someone pan handling on the side of the road?  Often, it’s at an intersection or at an off ramp.  You try to look the other way and not make eye contact, but like any good Christian, there is a pang of guilt that won’t let go.  What do you do? Give them money or ignore them?  Are these the only two options?  Through working with our food pantry, doing inner-city missions, and connections to organizations in the city of Evansville I have some insight that may be able to help you.  I believe there are six things you can do to help
someone that is in a desperate situation.

1. View them as a person created in the image of God

The first thing we need to do is make sure we are thinking about that individual correctly.  They are a person created by God, in the image of God.  No matter how dirty or disheveled they might be they are deserving of dignity and respect.  We must fight the temptation to think less of them and think more highly of ourselves.  The reality is that the greatest need of all of us is not money or food— it is Christ.  I am fond of the old saying, “The ground is level at the foot of the cross.”  In treating them as an image bearer you need to realize they have a story, if you can safely talk to them, try to understand their story.  This will help you to make the decision about whether or not you should help.

2. Be familiar with the resources in your city/church

You would be surprised if I told you of all the help that is out there for poor and homeless people if they know where to look.  Every year our city has a homeless connect event (www.evansvillehomeless.org) in which agencies and businesses come together to help people in this exact situation.  There are several shelters where people can stay, provided they have not been kicked out for breaking rules.  There are also several places where people can get a hot meal throughout the day.  You need to be familiar with the resources that are in your area.  For Evansville go to www.unitedwayswi.org and click on 211, you can search the many local resources that are available.  Many people have ended up homeless through a series of bad circumstances and may just need a helping hand.  Others have chosen to remain homeless despite the resources available to them.

3. Be wary of scammers

The reality is that we do live in a very fallen world and people will use your guilt to take advantage of you.  I almost never give money directly to someone unless I have a relationship with them and the only thing that will help is money.  We have all seen exposés on fake homeless people raking in the dough from suckers with tender hearts.  There are some scammers out there, but there are also some genuine people that really do need help.

4. Think creatively about how you can help

Are there other ways to help besides giving money?  I know many families that will carry around homeless packs that have nonperishable food and hygiene items.  You can find many examples on Pinterest.  This is another way to help without offering cash that can be used for drugs or alcohol.  You can also volunteer at a soup kitchen or food pantry.  This will help you to think creatively about meeting the needs of homeless people.

5. Offer the greatest gift - Prayer

I always try to offer a pray for someone.  When Peter and John were confronted with a lame beggar they gave a gift in the name of Jesus- healing.  Many people you meet do not need physical healing, but they certainly need healing from their circumstances of life and healing of their heart.  The best thing you can do is turn to the Lord and openly pray for them in that moment.

6. Let the Holy Spirit be your guide

The Holy Spirit is a great gift to us.  He will lead and guide us even in matters like these.  I remember my wife, Kristi, telling me that when she was pregnant with our third child she saw a young pregnant woman that was homeless on Green River Road.  Her heart broke and she wanted to help.  She talked to the lady who really just wanted food.  My wife went to Fazoli’s and took her a meal. That was truly a Holy Spirit led moment.  Like Kristi, trust the Holy Spirit to guide you.  We need to care for the poor and downtrodden, they matter to God and they need to matter to us.

MAY 2017 SPARE CHANGE

I Get Depressed Too: 5 Ways to Cope with Depression

It may shock you, but I get depressed sometimes.  Sometimes there is an apparent reason and sometimes there isn’t.  Sometimes life is going great, but it still happens.  Now my depression would be considered mild, I don’t need doctors or medications to help.  Some people do and I don’t begrudge anyone for getting help from trained professionals or
counselors for depression.  This issue is a common issue that affects many people.  Statistics say one in five people suffer from some form of depression.  In my personal experience, I would say it is much, much higher.  For me it is a part of life, it comes and goes.  There is no telling when it will come or how long it will last.  However, I have discovered some important things that have helped me to cope and, in many cases, get over bouts of depression.  These five things can help Christians struggling with depression:

1. Identify the Cause – 1 Peter 1:6-9

As I said before, sometimes there is a cause and sometimes there isn’t and sometimes I just haven’t discovered it yet.  I have found myself getting down in the dumps for no apparent reason only to be shown the reason later.  Often for me the reasons are stress and self-worth issues.  I am the kind of person that needs to stay busy and to have a purpose, but that also gets me in trouble with saying yes to too many things and getting stressed out.  So, for me, balance is very important (we will talk more about that in a moment).  Often if I look hard enough and ask the Holy Spirit to show me, I can determine the cause, which means I can begin to heal.  If you frequently find yourself depressed, start to examine your life and ask God to help reveal the cause to you.

2. Turn It Back to the Lord – Col. 3:2, Heb. 4:16

One of the really bad things depression does is it turns everything inward.  It makes you think about yourself…a lot.  That is not healthy.  You must get out of your head and turn your mind back to the Lord.  When we focus internally we forget that our Lord is walking through life with us.  He cares about our feelings and He cares that we feel bad.  I begin with prayer and ask God to help me to refocus on Him.  I like to journal or listen to worship music.  These things help me to put the focus back on God.  Sometimes that is all it takes.  The point is, depression is not wrong or sinful but having a me-focused attitude is.  Jesus wants to us bring glory to Him, to think about others needs first and to serve those around us.  We can’t do that if we constantly think about ourselves.

3. Refocus on Spiritual Disciplines – Prov. 3:5-8, Psalm 119:105

Spiritual disciplines are huge!  My Bible study and prayer time are essential to my spiritual, as well as my mental health.  Please consider your time and how you spend it.  I am sure you can carve out some time for the Lord.  It really helps bring balance to your life and balance is the key.

4. Seek Balance in Life – Mark 12:29-31

As I said, we need balance.  When we focus too much on work, or too much on entertainment, or too much on our kids, or too much on ourselves we get out of balance.  We need to have a healthy balance in life.  We need to make sure we work hard, spend time with our family, serve in our church, get plenty of sleep, etc.  How do you do all of that?  By planning your time carefully.  Remember, you control your time or your time will control you.  Don’t say yes to everything.  Family is essential, church is essential, work is essential.  Everything else is optional.

5. Don’t Be Afraid to Talk About It – James 5:16, Eccl. 4:9-12

There is a stigma, especially with men, that we can’t talk about feelings.  Now I am not advocating we all go around talking like we are on a Dr. Phil episode.  But we all need one or two close Christian brothers (or sisters if you are a woman) that we can talk to about this stuff.  Sometimes just admitting you are depressed and you need someone to pray for you is all you need to kick it.  We also don’t need to be afraid to talk to trained biblical counselors.  This is a big deal, we all need help from time to time on a variety of issues.  Biblical counseling can and does help.  Don’t be afraid to talk to a counselor.

The bottom-line for me is, depression is not always a bad thing.  It helps me grow close to God and depend on Him more.  It also makes my heart tender so I can see others that are hurting around me.  So, don’t look at it as a complete waste, maybe the Lord wants to use it in your life to teach you.  Finally, I will leave you will one last encouragement, 2 Cor. 7:6 tells us “God comforts the downcast”.  The next time you feel the dark shadow of depression creeping in turn to the Lord for comfort.