The Homeless Man Who Could Have Been a Pastor…

A while ago, I spoke with a homeless man who wasn’t doing very well. He couldn’t sleep because of the bedbugs biting him and had been ‘living’ on the streets for five years.

But there was something extraordinary…

He had a profound sense of where God was. His connection with God was even stronger than I often observe in other people. The connection from God to him was also very clear and evident, more so than I frequently see in others…

Was he angry about his current situation? Yes.

But was he angry with God? No.
Did he try to blame all the evil on ‘the devil’? No. (James 1:14-15)
Was he honest that the misery of today is a result of our choices (Adam, Eve, the apple, Genesis 3:17-19)? Yes.
Did he understand that we deserve even worse than what we have now? Yes. (Genesis 2:17)
Did he grasp that the problems we face are temporary, but that through Christ, we are eternally saved? Yes. (John 3:16)
He understood perfectly that he didn’t fully understand everything (1 Corinthians 13:9-10).
Did he recognize that this insight, from a human perspective, is astonishing, especially given his circumstances? Yes.
Did he know from whom he received this insight and blessing? Yes. From God. (Philippians 4:11-13 / John 16:13)
It was an immense encouragement to see how he deals with all his problems, and could he serve as a tremendous example for others. Yes!

And then it comes….

Is he a true Christian? Yes.
Does he perhaps understand the whole gospel (Sin, Repentance, God, Christ, His salvation) better than many people we see in churches? Yes… I’m afraid so.
Do others recognize that as well? I’m afraid not…
Was he welcome in the church he entered a while ago? No. According to the elders, he smelled and was therefore not welcome…

And honestly, I think that’s a missed opportunity for that church. Because this homeless man, with his story and divine testimony, much like Paul had, could very well deliver the most impactful sermon in a long time…

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:11-13)

In the end, we discussed that he should keep his focus on Christ, just as he was doing. And if an ‘elder’ ever tries to turn him away again, he should not be discouraged. His story needs to be shared, as it is a way of sharing God’s story.

Is he ready to be a pastor? No. He still has to learn a lot, fix plenty of problems that he created, still needs God’s grace to do so. So, a pastor role? No. (Titus 1:5-9) But somewhere… there is something beautiful about his faith and his story that should be shared..