Homeless For the Holidays

During my travels, I have met many people who are business execs and CPAs who are homeless. They get out of their car, put on a suite, and go to work. I imagine there are many who are going to be homeless for the holidays, including myself. While I face my first Christmas in a car, I think of our homeless Christian brothers and sisters who are African,  Arabian, Asian, Armenian, Brazilian, Egyptian, Syrian, Iranian, Iraqi, Israeli/Palestinian, Chinese, Greek, Georgian, Indian, European (UK,England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany, Swedish, and etc) Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic, Latvian, Russian, Ukrainian,  Polish, Hispanic, Puerto Rican, Malaysian, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, North Korean, North American (USA),  South American, and any person who has been put out of their community for converting to Christianity or who faces homelessness around the world. I want to mention of our African Christian refugees in Nigeria fleeing persecution and murder. While I face being homeless in less hostile terrain, I ask that we pray for our homeless Christian brothers and sisters, and if it is within our means to help with food, shelter, and other aide we must, for the apostle James says, “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” (James 2:15-17). 

I want to remind us all that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were homeless, in fact Jesus was born homeless, “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7). God Incarnate had to sleep His first night in a manger, and then Magi came with gifts of frankincense, gold, and myrrh (Matthew 2:1-12) which gave the holy family funds to fly to Egypt and escape Herod’s wrath (Matthew 2:13–23). Think about our Lord, helpless and homeless. Three Wise Men came and out of their homage and worship, gave Him plenty of valuables to help Him: in the same way Jesus says we are to take care of each other, for when we help the least of our brothers in Christ we help Christ, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory (Revelation 19:11-16), and all the holy angels with Him (Matthew 24:30-31), then He will sit on the throne of His glory (Revelation 20:1-15, Zachariah 14:1-14). 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

44 “Then they also will answer [d]Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46). Christ’s words are severe here, for this parable is about Jesus’s Second Coming, and the urgency of helping a brother or sister in need is majorly important for when we help a brother or sister in Christ we help Christ because He lives in every Christian, “this is the mystery, Christ loves in you,” (Colossians 1:27) and “Anyone who confesses Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they live in God” (1 John 4:15). 

Christ our Savior and God became homeless again when He began to preach, “But Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head,” (Luke 9:58, Jesus calls Himself the Son of Man, see Mark 2:10-11, Mark 8:31; Ezekiel 28:12-18-Jesus threw Satan out of Heaven) and ir was wealthy women that paid His expenses and those of His disciples, “Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means (funds).” (Luke 8:1-3). So lest you feel ashamed of becoming homeless, wether  living in an RV or trailer after having a two story house or you live in car or are on the street or in a tent, remember you are not alone, the Alpha and Omega was homeless on the day of His birth, during His ministry, and when He was crucified for our sins (John 18 and 19). We are in good company, for Jesus our Savior was homeless, as was King David for twenty years fleeing Saul’s ire, as was Paul the Apostle who travelled in tents, lived on hospitality, and lived in prisons, and Moses who with Joshua and Israelites were homeless in tents for 40 years. 

The world says being homeless is a pitiful plight, and a sign of tough times or bad choices. But the Kingdom of Heaven is full of homeless prophets, saints, and our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ! So this Christmastime remember us who have no money for the Inn in our Bethlehem, pray for us and help like Joanna and Mary helped Jesus (Luke 8:1-3), whoever offered the stable that housed Jesus (Luke 2:7),  and do as Jesus says in His own words, “Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'” (Matthew 25: 37-40). 

Do not despise or grimace over a homeless person, your Lord and God Jesus Christ was homeless at birth and most His life.  Remember the parable, that the rich man went to hell but the devout homeless Lazarus went to heaven, “19 Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. 20 At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. 21 As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores.

22 “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet.[a] The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and he went to the place of the dead.[b] There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.

24 “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’

25 “But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’” (Luke 16:19-26). If you are homeless hold fast in your hope in Christ, and remember there are many mansions in heaven that await you, “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2,  King James Version). So if you are wealthy help fellow Christians with your wealth (James 2:14-17, Matthew 25:37-40),  the homeless, but if you are homeless know you are in good company with the Lord. Amen.