Tag: immigrant

Stewardship: Touch – What About the Least of These?

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

Video is available here.

Matthew 25:40

While doing some training this week, I met with a deputy who has worked there at the county jail since I had. As we were talking, our discussion inevitably turned to one of today’s issues and concerns, violence and mental health. The deputy shared a story from his time as a firefighter, before joining the sheriff’s office. The fire department had been called out to respond to an older man who fallen and split his head open. When they arrived, they found a mobile home that was not in good shape. Upon entering the home, they observed that the floor had rotted away to the point that the cabinets had fallen through, and there was a “walkway” made up of a couple pieces of 2×4. Much of the home was covered with trash that was piled up, almost to the ceiling. And their patient was refusing treatment, in spite of his head being split open. What they discovered was that this man lived alone, he didn’t go anywhere, and no one came really came by. He spent his time drinking, and basically just gave up hope.

Shortly after this call, my friend and another firefighter began to regularly visit this older man. As they did, they noticed that things slowly began to change. The man started to drink less. He began to slowly clean up the trash inside, and get rid of it. He also began to fashion new cabinets, and do what repairs he could to the floor. Basically, He needed human contact. He needed to know that he matters.

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ (Matthew 25:40 NLT)

Through the use of technology, we are more connected today than at any time in human history. And yet, in many ways, we are much more alone, and disconnected from each other than at any time in human history. I consider myself blessed to have friends, across the country, who I can call upon to talk to, and even pray with me. And they know that they can reach out to me at any time, to talk or pray. But because of the distance between us there is one thing missing; that is the ability to actually touch each other, through a hug, or a handshake. So we try to improvise with “virtual hugs.”

And, they do help to convey that someone cares. They do bring some comfort. But, sometimes, we just need to feel that embrace. We need to feel that hand upon our shoulder, and hear someone remind us that we are not alone. Of course, I am also fortunate that I have friends right here who I can call upon to talk to, pray with, and fulfill that need for a hug, or a handshake, even just a quick pat on the shoulder to remind me that I am not alone. And they know, at least I hope they do, that they can reach out to me.

Studies have shown us that people need touch. One early, controversial, study involved the use of rhesus monkeys. The baby monkeys were separated from the mother at birth, and given the option of two inanimate surrogates. One was covered in cloth, and the other was simply wire and wood. Even when the only one with a bottle of milk was the one of wire and wood, the baby monkeys preferred the embrace of the cloth surrogate. Touch is as necessary for emotional and physical well being as are food and water.

Imagine going through each day with limited human contact. That is the reality for many in our society today. Some who may deal with this include inmates, especially those who are held in solitary confinement, and the only human contact they have is when the officer passes their food tray, or when they are handcuffed to be moved; truck drivers who are often out on the road for weeks, or months at a time, separated from their family so that we have food, gas, cars, and other material things; the elderly, and the sick, who may be unable to get out; and I would even include the homeless, who we often don’t even look at as we drive down the road. I would venture to say that there are also others, who may nbot fit in any of these categories, but who for whatever reasons, feel alone, and forgotten.

Bottom Line: How can I touch others?

The answer I am going to give is found in Matthew 25:35-40.

1) Food and water (verse 35)

This doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, or expensive. It could be as simple as a sandwich, or a bottle of water.

2) Hospitality / Fellowship (verse 35)

This doesn’t always mean bringing a stranger into your home, though it might. That word that we translate as stranger, can also be translated as immigrant, or traveler. How are we at welcoming the stranger, or the immigrant into our church? Maybe instead of simply handing someone a sandwich, you could invite them in and share a meal with them. Talk with them.

3) Clothing (verse 36)

Look, it is unlikely that you will encounter someone running down the street naked. But, do you have any clothes that you could donate to a homeless shelter, or bring some here for our give and take table? But don’t just stop at donating. Offer to take someone who needs clothes to get them. If you can, volunteer at a place that helps to provide clothes

4) Visit (verse 36)

Find someone to spend a little bit of time with. Maybe it will be someone in a nursing home. It might be a person in jail, or prison. Maybe you know someone who is homebound.

Bottom Line: Who can you touch today?

Of course, don’t forget a hug, or a handshake; or at least a pat on the shoulder, just to remind them that they are not alone. Something that all of these ideas have in common is that they also require your time. I didn’t dwell on that this morning. But time is another resource that God has given us, that we are supposed to be stewards of. What better way to spend some of that than by actually showing Jesus’ love to others.

STOP THE HATE

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

This is not as eloquent, and thought out as I try to be, but, this is what’s on my heart right now. And I often say nothing. But, I’m tired of saying nothing. I’m tired of staying quiet for fear of offending someone. Three shooting sprees, in less than 24 hours, and my heart is broken. And I’m tired. I’m tired of the hate, which, by the way, politicians and people on all sides (liberal, conservative, Democrat, Republican, whatever else you can think of) have been busy spewing for a long time. I’m tired of, and disturbed by, how easily people (again, on all sides) who call themselves Christians, and are supposed to be following Christ, have allowed their politics to drive their faith, and they so willingly twist, and manipulate, scriptures to fit their personal political views. And they continue to feed the hate.

These evil people who decide to murder others are going to do so no matter what, but the hateful rhetoric, gives them something to latch onto in a desperate attempt to justify their own evil actions. And everytime, we start the political finger pointing again.

Look, It’s not a gun problem. It’s not an immigration problem. It’s not an abortion problem. It’s not a gay problem. It’s not a skin color problem. It’s not an old people, or a young people problem. It’s not a constitutional problem. It is a SIN problem. It is a HATE problem. And evil people will use whatever excuse they can find, or make up, to promote hate. So please, unless, and until, your ready to calmly discuss, and work through the real issues, and work to be part of the solution, sit down, shut up, and quite frankly, keep your twisted Bible verses, and twisted constitutional rights to yourself.

Look, I wholly support our constitutional rights. But along with those rights comes responsibilities. Yes, we all have the right to free speech. However, no one has the right to incite panic or violence with their speech. Yes, you have the right to protect yourself, and even to carry. But in exercising that right you have a duty to do so responsibly, with proper training, and in such a way as to not cause concern. In other words, you don’t need to carry in such a way as to draw attention to yourself. Please understand, when you draw attention to yourself, or your weapon, especially in light of recent events, you are making yourself appear to be a threat.

So, please, exercise your rights. But do so responsibly. Share your opinions and views. But do so respectfully. And STOP THE HATE. And for those of us who claim to follow Christ, please stop letting politics dictate your faith. And everyone, for crying out loud, lets all pull our heads out of that deep dark tunnel, and quit letting the news media (regardless of the source) and politicians dictate how we behave, view others, and treat each other. Let’s start exercising our rights to actually do the right thing.

Are your words dehumanizing?

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

How do you refer to a prostitute? Do we use words like lot lizard, slut, ho, or skank?

How do you refer to people who are gay? Are we using words like fag, homo, lesbo, or queer.

How about the person asking for money? “Maybe words like bum, lazy, derelict. Maybe even drunk, or addict.

What about immigrants; what words do you use to refer to them? Are words like wetback, rag head, and other derogatory terms a regular part of your vocabulary?

What about that person who just made a really stupid move and cut you off in traffic? Do we come up with words like idiot, moron and others, that if I said, or printed, my mother would wash my mouth out with soap.

I hate to admit it, but I have used many of the above words to refer to people. Did you catch that? Stop and think about if for a minute. These are people. Do terms like lot lizard, faggot, drunk, bum, or idiot make you think of a person? It’s all too easy to use these terms to refer to those we see as less than we are. And that’s just it. Using these words helps us to dehumanize the people in question.

What happens if we see these same people as human? Well, then we have to acknowledge that that prostitute is someone’s daughter, sister, maybe even someone’s mother. There’s even a good chance she may be a victim of human trafficking.

We then also have to acknowledge that the gay guy is someone’s son, brother, or uncle. He might even be someone’s father. Or the lesbian is someone’s daughter, sister, aunt, and just maybe mother.

The same thing for the person asking for money, or the person who cut you off in traffic, and the immigrant. And on and on it goes. They are people.

Why does it matter what words we choose to use? It matters because they are people. If we can ignore their humanity then it becomes easier to treat them badly. Dehumanizing others allows us to excuse mistreatment of others. I would venture to say that the atrocities of the past prove my point. Hitler dehumanized the Jews, those who held slaves saw them as nothing more than chattel to be bought and sold. Of course those are just two examples within the past 200 years, but there are many other examples. More current examples would be terror groups calling people infidels and killing them for not sharing their beliefs, or hate groups who picket funerals of those they deem less than godly declaring that God hates them.

The most important reason that it matters is because Christ died for them too. We can’t reach them for Christ if we fail to see and recognize their humanity.  What distinguishes His people is our love for others. How can we expect people to come to Christ if we who claim He is our Lord and Savior are unloving with our words? Their idea of God will be shaped, at least in part, by how His representatives act, as well as speak.