How have residents, youth, coworkers and/or children shared God’s heart with you this week?I am a firm believer that offering a smile or a kind word affirms the value of someone who is homeless. Even if it’s short, a healthy interaction can make someone feel alive.
As I was walking down the sidewalk in front of the Water Street Mission the other day, I saw a homeless woman eating a huge chocolate chip cookie. She held a second cookie in her other hand. I smiled and commented on how delicious they looked. What happened next jolted me. With her belongings in bags at her feet and slung over her shoulder, the woman asked if I wanted her other cookie.
I tried to hide my surprise, but I’m afraid my gaping mouth may have given me away. Amidst my stammering, I was finally able to politely (I hope) decline. As I walked away, I was embarrassed at my degree of shock. I realized I had begun to fall into the trap of ‘us’ and ‘them’. I had begun to think that ‘us’ were the kind folks who give, and ‘them’ were the folks who take.
So yes, it’s true; kind words can affirm someone’s value and make them feel alive. I know because one sunny day, a homeless woman respected me enough as a human being to offer kind words. She helped crack open my pride and remind me that, no matter our circumstances, we all have something to give.
Maria Schaszberger • Director of Communications
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