Sitting in front of a beautiful coffee haven in Buckhead, I glanced around at the people enjoying their time. They were engaged in conversation, sipping espresso or lattes with friends or business acquaintances. I noticed mothers with toddlers in tow, chatting about their two-year-olds’ antics.
Everyone seemed absorbed in their own worlds while life unfolded around them. The heart of Buckhead is surrounded by fine restaurants, elegant homes, and lavish estates. This area near Atlanta is clearly a hub for the affluent, and it reflects that status.
As I observed others, I noticed a woman in the parking lot carrying bags and shouting words I couldn’t comprehend. It was clear she was homeless and likely facing mental health challenges often linked to homelessness. Beneath the darkness of her clothing and the heaviness of her spirit, I could see her beauty and found myself wondering what had happened in her life.
Within minutes, a homeless man appeared across the street. Again, I wondered what had happened to him. We often don’t know someone’s story, and many of us find it difficult even to look. It’s easier to turn away, enjoy our coffee, and time with our friends, without pondering the lives of those who live in the shadows.
The breaking point
I realized long ago how close one can come to breaking. When you start to believe that words like hope, future, success, and love belong only to others, it can lead you into a dark place.
We express concern about crime, drugs, homelessness, and lawlessness. Mental health is a topic we frequently discuss, but do we see any tangible improvements? We expect someone else to solve these problems, yet we wonder why they never seem to get better. While we may not be able to cure all the troubling problems that affect us, we can take action to make a positive difference.
A mother left her home with her three children in search of shelter. She had no idea where her husband was. To support her elementary-aged kids, she worked two jobs as a cashier. Unfortunately, she could no longer afford the rent on their home and began searching for a smaller apartment. However, she didn’t have enough money for the security deposit or two months’ rent in advance. To keep her children in the same elementary school, the family began living out of her car.
Mary lived in an extended-stay motel for a while, but it marked the beginning of a downward spiral. The motel consumed most of her monthly earnings, leaving her with little money for food. She had no wealthy family to rely on, very little support, and a spouse who had abandoned his family.
Was Mary the beautiful woman seen walking in the shadows near the coffee shop?
Take time to look
How many Mary’s are there? How many children? And how many among us have been broken? A teenage boy sees no escape from poverty and joins a gang to find a sense of belonging. An eighth grader takes her own life because there was no one to support her through her difficult days.
Those of us who turn away need to take a closer look. Many of us, who sip our coffee comfortably on a Wednesday morning, must do more.
One statistic stopped me cold. Families of modest means, as a percentage of their income, often give more to charity than those with moderate to extraordinary wealth. Generosity, it seems, isn’t measured by the size of a bank account but by the size of the heart.
What if Mary found affordable housing, allowing her children to return to their old school without hunger? What if teenagers were offered hope instead of being drawn into guns and gangs? If we want to address issues like crime, homelessness, and the need for more mental health facilities, we need to change our perspective on the world.
Learn from the Master
I think of the man who was embraced by a crowd eagerly waiting to welcome him. They believed he could heal their pain and sickness. As the crowd surrounded him, he felt a gentle touch on his robe.
“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.
A woman had been sick for twelve years, and no one could help her despite her efforts. She had spent all her money on doctors and healers and had nothing left.
Believing that even a touch of the Master’s robe could heal her, she reached out in faith. Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
Was she like Mary, who lost everything? Was she the woman in the shadows, unnoticed by all except Christ?
Let’s open our eyes.
Thank you to BCM Georgia (Buckhead Christian Ministries) and other charitable organizations who help so many. Please give.