Homeless is the nigger of the world. (Sorry, misquoting John Lennon, if you know the song)

Steve K

I actually think that one of the biggest problems of the middle class’ approach to the homeless and the poor in general is the idea that “we will go in and fix them”. It isn’t that the homeless don’t want homes (most of the time they do) or that the mentally ill don’t want medication (although it’s true sometimes they don’t). Rather, its the basic arrogance of the approach of, “I know what you need and I can take care of it.” This is a superior to inferior relationship, one in which the middle class is used to, but is the wrong way to build trust.

When my wife and I began working with the homeless twelve years ago, we spent two years listening to their needs and their stories before we thought we “knew” any needs or issues that we could possibly address. We developed trust before offering any “fix”.

It is humiliating for anyone to be seen as so pathetic to need another person’s help. So we offered folks things they said they needed, and we lowered ourselve to be at their level. We became homeless ourselves and lived day to day, welcoming whatever help the homeless could give us, so that we were a community, not a benevolence agency.

It is true that mercy trumps judgement. But relationship trumps a sense of pity every time. As soon as we think “poor people, what can I do to help them” we become paternal. But if we think about ways to join them and to make them better able to help themselves, or to receive help from God, then we are on the right track.

Now I need to say, I love my middle class brothers and sisters. I think many of them have a good heart. But havng the homeless have their own congregation isn’t segregation, or it doesn’t have to be. Every church is culture, as well as spirit. And if we told all Africans they had to worship in a Western way, wouldn’t we agree that is wrong and offensive? So why should we insist the homeless become “one of us” when they aren’t? If they want to be, great– there’s lots of programs to make them middle class. But what if they want to keep their cultural values that aren’t opposed to Scripture? What if dumpster diving and recycling and living in tents is actually more scripturally sound than being middle class? Shouldn’t we find ways to allow them to live that way?

Steve K