In what seems to me to be stunning prescience by the Redding Homeless blogger, a blog post there, just days before our city's "Bee Flip Out," provides the reasoning why Christians [and everyone, I would gainly add] must always oppose efforts to regulate individuals or groups who graciously choose to publicly feed homeless people. I present a close rendition of the Redding post below. You may view Redding Homeless Blog's original post, dated 9/6, here. The splendid credo of the Redding blog is this: "We are against practices and laws that unfairly single out homeless people and criminalize them for everyday living and life-sustaining activities." sacHO's use of this material comes with permission.
A spirit is circulating around the leaders and charities which serve the homeless and those who attempt to defend their constitutional and civil rights. It's claimed our giving is hurting and not helping the homeless, and instead of giving food to the homeless it would be better to give the money used to purchase that food to established charities and homeless shelters where that money could be put to "better use."
Of course, you will find no such spirit or direction in the Bible. The Christian community, called the Church, is there to help, as Jesus says "the least of these My brethren", "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; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me."
You are the Church...
Christians must interact with their fellow humans and have fellowship with the poor and homeless. Those given the grace to see realize that giving a sandwich or an article of much-needed clothing is an opportunity to minister to those hurting and lost on at a deep spiritual level.
You see, GOD LOVES TO USE HIS PEOPLE!, and through the Holy Spirit and your faith, love, and interaction, the Lord can plant the seeds to spiritually feed and cloth those in need, and through the believer pour forth the "Living Waters" to those who so desperately thirst.
It is not only true that "God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him."
You, too, may receive a powerful and suprising blessing from those whom you are serving!
You see, in giving what you have freely received and administering compassion you are spiritually fed and clothed and given spiritual "water" to drink, healed from spiritual sicknesses, and then will break free through the bars which hold you in prison.
"For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Those that wish to regulate the feeding and care of the homeless and leave it to the "pros" do not have those eyes to see, or ears to hear what God through Jesus Chris and the Holy Spirit has given to his body of believers, called "The Church"
Reconsider giving cash donations to those charities which follow government regulations and post permits in order to feed the homeless. Be wary of charities that cannot show they are good of heart and wholly good intentioned.
Regulations and permits are the first steps cities and municipalities use to criminalize and repress the poor and homeless.
Make unannounced visits to those organizations you donate to to verify that they deserve your trust by quite evidently doing good work that benefits the poor.
Don't allow the spiritual thieves to steal from you, calling your compassionate love offerings an act of "feel good" giving, but "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
You see, God does not call the qualified or pros, but, Himself, qualifies those He calls to administer to those in need.
God is holding his ministries more accountable than ever before. Salaries and pay checks are at stake.
A spirit is circulating... it's not of God
Don't let anyone squelch the Spirit of Love and Charity which dwells in you.
Love your neighbor, let no law or regulation be formed against this and remember...
"When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and repayment come to you. But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you."
Let no one criminalize and regulate the practicing of your faith and and religion...
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
And the spirit of the world wants you to stop...
A spirit is circulating around the leaders and charities which serve the homeless and those who attempt to defend their constitutional and civil rights. It's claimed our giving is hurting and not helping the homeless, and instead of giving food to the homeless it would be better to give the money used to purchase that food to established charities and homeless shelters where that money could be put to "better use."
Of course, you will find no such spirit or direction in the Bible. The Christian community, called the Church, is there to help, as Jesus says "the least of these My brethren", "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; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me."
You are the Church...
Christians must interact with their fellow humans and have fellowship with the poor and homeless. Those given the grace to see realize that giving a sandwich or an article of much-needed clothing is an opportunity to minister to those hurting and lost on at a deep spiritual level.
You see, GOD LOVES TO USE HIS PEOPLE!, and through the Holy Spirit and your faith, love, and interaction, the Lord can plant the seeds to spiritually feed and cloth those in need, and through the believer pour forth the "Living Waters" to those who so desperately thirst.
It is not only true that "God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him."
You, too, may receive a powerful and suprising blessing from those whom you are serving!
You see, in giving what you have freely received and administering compassion you are spiritually fed and clothed and given spiritual "water" to drink, healed from spiritual sicknesses, and then will break free through the bars which hold you in prison.
"For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Those that wish to regulate the feeding and care of the homeless and leave it to the "pros" do not have those eyes to see, or ears to hear what God through Jesus Chris and the Holy Spirit has given to his body of believers, called "The Church"
Reconsider giving cash donations to those charities which follow government regulations and post permits in order to feed the homeless. Be wary of charities that cannot show they are good of heart and wholly good intentioned.
Regulations and permits are the first steps cities and municipalities use to criminalize and repress the poor and homeless.
Make unannounced visits to those organizations you donate to to verify that they deserve your trust by quite evidently doing good work that benefits the poor.
Don't allow the spiritual thieves to steal from you, calling your compassionate love offerings an act of "feel good" giving, but "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
You see, God does not call the qualified or pros, but, Himself, qualifies those He calls to administer to those in need.
God is holding his ministries more accountable than ever before. Salaries and pay checks are at stake.
A spirit is circulating... it's not of God
Don't let anyone squelch the Spirit of Love and Charity which dwells in you.
Love your neighbor, let no law or regulation be formed against this and remember...
"When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and repayment come to you. But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you."
Let no one criminalize and regulate the practicing of your faith and and religion...
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
And the spirit of the world wants you to stop...
Comments
Now, I am Buddhist. I hope that RHB does not disapprove, but I would say a Buddhist rending would be similar. At the end of Zen's Ox Herding sequence, the ego disappears and the monk goes into the marketplace. He is blissfully unbothered by drama, fully availed to do what is right.
They are very cool, but sadly are wrongly associated with Arab terrorism.
I didn't know this until I read your spiel, but the police are not in harness. They are compelled to do what is right. And they should.