I met a man named Chris who hitchhiked from Missouri and arrived in Alexandria, Louisiana. He claims that he has left his wife after she had committed adultery on him for about the 14th time in the one year they have been married. She is addicted to drugs. Chris has had a hard past with alcohol and life in general. He is staying at the Salvation Army right now, and he is determined to get a life started here in central Louisiana. He is working with a construction company and seems to be doing well. He remains clean from drugs and alcohol, and I have not seen any sign or hint of it. He also recently started attending my church on a regular basis. This past Sunday, I was praying for him and asking the Lord to provide an apartment for him to stay in. Before leaving the church, this request was answered by a man who owns rental properties, and he reduced the monthly rent by $50 just for Chris. The next step for him will be to get transportation. Let me know if you ever hear of anything out there that is affordable for a guy like him.
In closing, we often take chances with guys like Chris. Oftentimes, the homeless are addicts, mentally ill, street hustlers, prostitutes, liars, etc. As followers of Christ, we have to be wary and discerning of many as they simply want something for nothing and will try to do anything to get their fixes met. Knowing that we take chances with people in situations like Chris is in, I often wonder about how the Lord pursues us. Today, I know that Jesus pursued a guy like Chris through an Ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ like me. Just thinking.
In Christ,
Andy M.