“I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.” Ezekiel 22:30
“It will not be how it was: the lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low.” Ezekiel 21:26b
“What is thine occupation.” Jonah 1:8
Sunday night on the streets, as we prepared to begin our work, a man approached and said God had sent him with a message for me.
I don’t like my routine being interrupted, people were waiting, I was obviously about other things – but here stood this nice looking man in his 30’s – clean – didn’t appear to be hungry or homeless and carrying a message from The Lord.
I hate being dismissive with people on the streets – so many already ignore them – plus this guy was dressed in what appeared to be a brand new gunny sack (I suspect a modern version of sackcloth) and had two beautiful Shofars (real rams horns used as horns to assemble God’s people in ancient times) hanging around his neck.
He caught my attention and I stopped to give him a moment.
He said I’d been violating the 4th commandment and God was unhappy with me. I confess, 10pm on a Sunday night I was thinking – 4th commandment… 4th commandment? – “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.”
Continuing, he told in as normal a way as a guy with sackcloth and rams horns on can be normal in the heart of Los Angeles, in the middle of the night, that he wasn’t a 7th Day Adventist or anything, God just had this message for me.
I listened as a long line of people patiently waited to be fed. I thanked him for sharing with me and invited him to eat. He said “I didn’t come to eat!” Now quite unhappy, but polite, “I came with a message for you from The Lord!” He implored me to read again Ezekiel 22 – I did – it talks some about the Sabbath. It was good to read again but probably not for the reasons he may have been hoping.
Needing to get the line started, I turned my back on him as I returned to my work and I did the single thing that’s stuck with me. I was dismissive.
It’s such an arrogant thing to do – no clue if he even heard me or caught it – simply said “Nice Shofars.” And got the line going with prayer.
Didn’t see him the rest of the evening. Don’t know that I ever will again. No clue if he just stumbled on our line, dressed for a Halloween party, and was an amazing actor or if he actually felt as if he was carrying a message from God for me.
We see so many unique and different people that I try not to let the moments keep me up.
But my comment “Nice Shofars,” maybe no problem as good natured ribbing between friends but just too dismissive with a total stranger, has stuck with me. It’s my attitude, more than any other message, that’s impacted me.
The Biblical prophets were easy people to dismiss as crackpots. They did and said some crazy stuff. But when we open our hearts to learn, to receive, God has lessons in the most chaotic of their words that can lift us even still.
Jonah was asked a simple question “What is thine occupation?” It’s a question we answer with our lives each day in our actions and behaviors.
The night ended with rain – a man came up to me wanting shoes – he had socks and sandals on – I suddenly regretted having worn my much loved desert boots and then thanked God when they were too small.
Another man had no shirt or shoes – he was wearing only Levis against the coming rain – I had an old Harbor Surf Shop jacket on that would have been perfect for him – but the kids got it for me at a garage sale… I hated to lose it. And while I was fretting over letting go of one of many jackets, AJ, one of our youngest workers had given him the shirt off his back – when he could have just ignored his great need.
We left the city with people sleeping on the sidewalk in the rain. I said to anyone who would listen in my car the same thing I always say “sleeping on the sidewalk, nowhere else to go, and nobody will even think to call 911.”
If it were my son or daughter on the street, in desperate need, with a storm coming I pray someone would see it as the emergency it is – the emergency we should all see when a brother or sister is down – and do whatever we could to help. At the very least be a society who calls 911 when someone is broken, cold, hungry and cast aside.
But it’s so much easier to be dismissive and walk on by…
I don’t have a word from The Lord for you, just a confession – I too know what it’s like to walk on by when what I really want to be is that one who would “stand in the gap.” To know and live my occupation in love.
The holidays are upon us. Let’s embrace our best selves, take an extra minute for someone in need and use these weeks to focus our lives on the blessings that are yet to happen in and through us instead of yesterday’s all too human failings. The ones we all share far too often.
We don’t have to wear sackcloth or carry big funny looking horns to be kind and loving. Kind and loving… that’s the kind of behavior God wants, that we were created for, and makes the world a warmer more wonderful place. You’re Invited!
Jackets for Jesus Christmas Party on the streets – the backpack party – is scheduled for Sunday night, December 18th. No money for backpacks yet. Trusting God to provide between now and Thanksgiving. Praying He uses you. I can’t wait to see what happens!