What's Right In Front Of You?

I am ambitious! There is no other way to put it but in those plain terms. I have a little thing inside my mind that is always thinking of ways to reach for the next "GREAT" accomplishment! My ambition can be used as one of my greatest strengths and also my greatest weakness. As I have spent months and years planning for a mighty endeavor that awaits me in the future, I have spent months missing something that was right in front of me, all along.

I have worked at my current job, a web design company, for a little of two years. I have taken the same driving route to work every single day, besides a few abnormal exceptions. I drive the same freeways, sit in the same bumper-to-bumper traffic and I always get off on the same exit. 7th Street and the I10. A busy intersection that sees thousands of cars per day. It wasn't until the past 3-4 months that I started to notice a pattern. A middle aged man, standing on the right side of the road where I exit. This man, everyday, held the same sign that said, "Need money, thank you, God bless." Everyday he had the same heart-warming smile, the same friendly wave, with a limping walk which shouted that he was in pain. I have watched him stand on the road, begging and pleading for help.

Now, usually this is were the critics chime in and make claims that sound like, "He is probably an alcoholic, a drug addict or just lazy. Giving him anything would only be me enabling him." And those very well may be true! But I would like to respond to those people and say, my dad is a recovering alcoholic, personal friends of mine are drug dealers, and I know a lot of lazy people. So what's the difference? Those people, standing on the curb, can very well be someone dear to my heart, and I can't image that I would ever drive by them without stopping and saying, "WHAT are you doing? LET ME HELP!" For some reason, most of us treat the person on the side of the road with less importance and care.

We all have our own excuses, and I'm no different. Until I felt convicted. I thought about the great ambitions and dreams I've been working towards. My hope is to eventually reach intercity, lower socioeconomic homeless teens and young adults. I want to move and start an urban arts center that helps reach the "underdogs" in our world. There is nothing inherently wrong with my dreams, but the conviction came from me realizing that God was giving me opportunities to start NOW and not in the "future." My ambition was cloudy my present reality. I have driven by the same man for months and I have even waved to him. Except I drove by and never gave him food, water, clothes, or money. I had to do something different. I needed to make a change in my perspective and stop waiting until I have some expansive ministry that is helping "save the world," and instead find the urgency about helping people now! The people that are right in front of me.

One morning, I arrived down town 20 minutes earlier than usual, which never happens! Like clockwork, the same man was standing with his sign waving to each passing car. I decided that I needed to stop putting it off and take the time to go to the store. I bought sandwich bags so that I could make care-kits to keep in my car for the houseless people I meet. I filled his with a tooth brush, tooth paste, a cliff bad, chapstick and a verse I wrote on a piece of paper from my car. This was the verse:

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 - "And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong."

Since Down Town Phoenix is filled with one way streets I had to get back on the freeway going the opposite direction in order to turn around and get off on my usual exit. I started to approach him but the light way green. I had to make a quick decision, drive past him and give him the bag the next day or frustrate all the people behind me by stopping in the middle of the exit. I did the ladder! I rolled down my window. He hurried to my car window and I handed him the bag. We both simultaneously said, "God bless you," and I drove off. The hoking of horns from those behind me were distant sounds that reminded me that our world is too much in a hurry to take care of those around us. 

The next day I woke up and packed a few extra food items that I was planning on giving him. But when I drove up to my exit I didn't see him. From the time I gave him the care-kit until now, (about a month) I have not seen him anywhere. It taught me that when God calls us to respond, we need to respond without hesitation, or else we might miss the God appointed opportunity.

I can't say that I'll always be aware and never walk by an opportunity to help someone, but my goal is to be more aware and proactive. And my hope is, you'll do the same! I don't know if anyone has told you, but combining our willingness with the power of Jesus makes a pretty powerful force! Don't miss what is right in front of you. 

I give everything over to You Lord