danny

I had an encounter tonight with a homeless man who has been frequenting my place of work. For some reason, my heart was especially moved with compassion for him and I just felt like compelled to go engage him and treat him like all the other customers. As he approached the counter, he took out a handful of change. I smiled at him and asked him how he was doing. His face lit up and he said he was tired, but hangin’ in there and went on to ask me about how my night was going. I told him I was tired too, but hangin’ in there and I was doing better than I deserved. He chuckled and turned around pointing to the back of his shirt. It said something along the lines of Extreme Jesus. It looked like it was from some church’s VBS. I said that’s right, you know what I’m getting at, right? He said he did and told me that God was soo much fun. After conversing for about a minute or so, I reached out my hand and introduced myself and asked him his name. “Danny”, he said. As he was walking away, I couldn’t help but think that most people simply see him as an outcast who is dependent on substances and an addict. Sure, I cold smell the alcohol on his breath, but at the same time I was convicted that he was still a human being who is a divine image bearer. The past few months have been very difficult for me in many ways, but I had to stop and count my blessings. Spiritually, in many ways Danny was the external manifestation of an inward spiritual reality that many of us feel at times. My heart was grieved when I imagined how alone he must feel. Who and when was the last time someone actually called him by his name. I’m sure that a lot of people stop and give him loose change or offer to buy him a cup of coffee, but how many people actually stop to engage him seeking to find out his story. After a few minutes had passed, he came up to me and wanted a piece of paper. I didn’t know what he needed it for, but after about ten minutes he brought it back up to me with a big smile. In crude handwriting it said: 1 Father, 1 Son, 1 Spirit, 1 Mike = 4ever together; Obey Ten Commandments. After I read it, I couldn’t help but smile. In addition, he gave me a little toy alien that glows in the dark. I couldn’t help but think of the parable of the poor woman who simply had two copper coins to put in the offering. She was poor, but gave what she had. Its as if he simply wanted to have someone in his life that he could give something to. Now, I’m not sure where Danny is spiritually and I’m sure that he has some addictions, but in many ways he reminded me of someone who has faith like a child. He challenged me to snap out of my own stupor and begin living a life of dispensing grace and unconditional love exhibiting the gentle, dove-like spirit that characterized Christ. I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again, but God used Danny tonight to give me a glimpse of the compassion and love that Christ has for us when spiritually we are going through a time of loneliness and poverty. I pray that even during this time that I will remain faithful in shedding the light of the Gospel into the hearts and lives of everyone I encounter!