Homes are available.
Do all of the people who claim to be homeless really need to be? We have heard verified stories of rich folks who become “homeless,” just to get away from the “rat race.” They claim to be happier poor than with everything.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, we believe there are those who “don’t have a thing to their name.” They truly are forced to live “under the bridge,” so to speak; living hand to mouth, accepting anything passed their way.
We’ll never forget those “bums,” as Mom referred to them, coming into our grocery store five decades ago and asking for “bologna butts,” so they’d have something to eat. As inconsiderate or cruel as it may sound, Mom did not respond to their request.
First off, all of the lunch meat ends went into a “homemade ham salad”sold at the butcher counter.
More importantly, Mom contended that she worked for her meals, and the beggars should do the same. Now, if they’d asked for work, Mom would have most likely agreed the one in need could sweep the sidewalk, mop the floor or dust the shelves to truly earn their supper, which would have then been given willingly.
Philosophy still contends that’s the way it should be. Despite all of the discussion and media stories about a depressed economy, employment offerings fill newspaper classifieds and internet employment sites. Like another evaluated, “Seems to me there are a lot of folks who want a job, but who don’t want to work.”
Still, there are probably a few, due to prejudice, being incompetent or with incapacitating disability, who can not find work. Help is being provided in most locales. Lines are backed up daily at complimentary soup kitchens, and Goodwill-type
stores have people waiting for them to open their doors to find a shirt for their back.
However, what makes us cringe the most are the number of homes, houses may be most accurate, that are available. Just drive down any town or city street, or worst of all, any country byway, and the number of empty homes is devastating, if seriously considered. These houses are rotting away, to be deteriorated in short time.
The vacant buildings could become homes for the homeless. They might not have central heating and cooling, maybe no indoor plumbing, nor even ready water supply, but they could provide a roof over the head. While some would immediately argue that it couldn’t work, certainly logistics might take some time, but it is worth consideration.
We do remember the true philosophy: “Your home is where your heart is.” Important is the guidance in Ephesians 3:17: “Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him.” Thus the promise in Jeremiah 12:15: “I will relent and take them tenderly to my heartand put them back where they belong, put each of them back in their home.”
+++ALLELUIA+++