He asked for my socks!

Take a moment to praise God for your socks. (pause for sock appreciation) . . . . We all take it for granted that a clean pair will be waiting for us every morning. If the person who cleans your socks is nearby, go give them an approving peck on the cheek.

Look at your feet right now. Are you wearing a clean pair? If not, it's probably because you chose not to. (How many times will you notice that same hole before you throw them away?) Socks are, for some strange reason, a necessity of life. Without them, we feel . . . like we shouldn't have gone without them.

ENTER WILLIAM
William was a homeless man who entered into UPCI HQ on Monday. This is a frequent occurence because people assume that because we work for "the Church," we are "the Church." I'm not sure whether the previous statement is true or condemning. . . They usually leave disappointed.

William was hard-up, proven by the fact that he had been holed up at the Mary K (next door) for the last three weeks. For those unfamiliar with this establishment, under its new ownership (no longer UPCI) it has become a virtual homeless shelter that people pay $400 a month to live in.

HIS TACTIC
William decided that he was going to do an old-fashioned sit-in, plopping himself down in the cushy chair, claiming that he wasn't moving until somebody gave him some help. He decided to go into the front bathroom to tidy up.

I guess I'm thankful that when the homeless come in, the front desk calls me. Her voice was pleasant and calm, as always. She asked, "Chris, there's a homeless gentleman in the front lobby that refuses to leave until we help him. . . . Can you help him? . . . " I repeat, she was as calm as if asking to buy a loaf of bread.

How could any Christ-transformed Christian say no? But I knew this wouldn't be easy.

For those that come into frequent contact with the homeless, their script is usually the same each and every time. It goes something like this:

1. I need a meal, I haven't eaten.

2. I need busfare then, to get anywhere but here (enter hard-luck story which varies in length).

3. I just need a couple of bucks, comon' now. I got robbed of the last few bucks I had by my no-good friend/relative (expletive).

4. I'm lookin' for a place to live (somehow they all lost their steadfast residence earlier that day).

5. Revisit numbers 1-4 in the order that they believe they have the greatest opportunity for success.

I ended up giving William $1o to grab a bus downtown, and I also gave him my loaf of bread and jar of peanut butter that I had planned on eating for lunch. I felt this was a fair outreach, without going too far.

"That's fine," William replied, but then he went off of the traditional homeless script. "One last thing, man. This is my last pair of socks and I been wearin' them for like a week now. Can I have your socks?"

Let's take a poll, reply below. If William asked you for your socks right now, how would you respond?

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail me!