A couple of months back, my husband and I were on a date night and went to a restaurant in Sanford, which is about 40 minutes away. On our way out, by the time we got to the car, we met Steve and Theresa, a homeless couple who were living in the woods at that time. Theresa was in agony and whined while we were talking. She claimed to have recently gotten out of the hospital and was still in pain with whatever she had wrong with her. Steve was not her husband, though, and she had a son but he was not with her.
They wanted money for the bus. My husband offered to take them to the hospital, but they refused. Theresa continually whined as if she were in pain. Somehow, I wasn't convinced though.
My dear husband gave them $20 after talking with them for a while. I have to wonder how the $20 got spent.
A couple of days later, we were thinking that the woman probably was on drugs, possibly heroin, and was having withdrawals.
A couple of days ago, my husband saw a woman that was homeless on the sidewalk by our grocery store. When he came home, he wanted a gift certificate to give her for something to eat. I found one for $5 and gave it to him. So, he goes back to where he saw her on the sidewalk, only this time a guy is with her. My husband is almost positive that it was Steve and Theresa.
You may have met them already. If you have any doubts, if you can look on the back of Theresa's neck, she has a tattoo with her name on it. She has blond hair, and Steve was wearing some type of hat when I saw him.
When dealing with the homeless, we need to be discerning. Not every homeless person is a Steve or Theresa. Some really would like to work, and many have lost their jobs, along with their homes.
The Bible tells us to be as wise as serpents and gentle as doves. We need the compassion of God in our hearts for the lost. Steve and Theresa need to hear the Gospel. Some will reject. Many will try to manipulate. That is all that some know how to do, but we can ask God for wisdom to know who to help and how to help them. This also gives us a good opportunity to present the Gospel to those in need.
