Another Trip to the Homeless Mission

First time going to the Mission with a supply of tracts. We brought the Titanic story tract and handed them out with home-made cookies as the men came out of the kitchen with their lunch. I don’t believe anyone turned down the tract, and it was good to see how many were reading their tracts.

Before the service started I saw a young African-American gentleman sitting near the front. I went over and gave him an IQ tract and said he would enjoy reading it. We chatted and I brought up the 10 commandments to see if he had kept them. We talked for a while and he admitted guilt, but he didn’t seem to be fully into the conversation. A number of others around us appeared to be listening, and at one point another gentlemen interjected by saying, “Why all this talk about judgment?” I reminded him that we all will eventually die and face judgment, and we’d better prepare now – and switched back to the conversation. I encouraged him to get right with God before it is too late. My goal was to plead with him, not preach at him.

One interesting part of the “good person test” – when I was talking about how anger is similar to murder, he shared that he had NEVER been angry with someone, so he wasn’t guilty of committing murder in his heart. A few minutes later, he was chatting with his buddy next to him, and the subject of the “yellow-vested city workers” came up (I believe these on police or city workers that are attempting to clean up the city and have encounters with the homeless). He said that he wished someone with a gun would go out and take care of them because he can’t stand them. I was absolutely floored, and reminded him that just minutes ago he had professed to be innocent of ever being angry with someone, and here he was – not only angry – but so angry with people that he wanted them to be dead. A perfect picture of someone that is committing murder in their heart!

I didn’t think our conversation had much of an impact on him, but after the service he shared with Dad that he had been deeply convicted by the Lord that he should be living for Jesus – and here he was at 32 years of age (I had shared I was 26) and there was no reason why he couldn’t live right. I was very encouraged to think he had been listening.

After the service and after passing out the tracts and cookies I went around the room to see who was interested in talking. It always seems very difficult to start a conversation with someone. Some of the fellows are open – others are very closed. I’ve had people get up and leave in the middle of conversations before!

I never got past small talk with a few men (I commented on either the food, the weather, the service, or the Titanic tract and would see what their response was). Eventually an older Hispanic gentlemen was open to conversation so we talked for awhile. I asked him about his background (he was a Catholic) and I said he should be familiar with the ten commandments. He was, although he said he couldn’t name them. I laughed and said I couldn’t until recently, and had just started learning them. I asked if he felt he has kept them, and he said “most”. I asked if we could go through some of them, and he said yes. We went through lying, stealing, blasphemy, and murder – all of which he admitted to (in action, or in his heart). He seemed genuinely open as we talked about guilt, judgment, and hell – so we then talked about salvation, and repenting of our sins, turning from them, and giving our entire life to Jesus. I encouraged him to read his Bible and to seek Jesus with his whole heart. He then had a work detail to join, so I prayed with him – he thanked me, and headed off.

It wasn’t quite time to leave yet, so I headed over to another table that still had a few fellows at it. It was about half-way back from the front, and since there was a Bible open on it I asked if this was the ‘Godly’ table where men sat that were seeking the Lord. They laughed and a few of the guys gave different responses. I asked if anyone had read the Titanic tract and we talked about that for a few moments… One gentleman in particular seemed open so I carried on the conversation with him – asking if he had gone through the “good person” test during the message. He wasn’t fully familiar with the ten commandments, but was open to the questions. He readily admitted guilt and an eternity in hell, and said he was in the process of seeking Jesus. He said he was struggling with ‘letting go.’ What a blessing to talk with someone who knows in his heart what is right and is seeking for it! I encouraged him to stay in the Word and continue until he has given up everything and only has Jesus.

On the way back from the Mission we stopped for a soda and chips. While checking out we talked with the clerk – and Dad offered to buy him a candy bar. He declined, but commented on Dad being a “nice guy”. I asked him if he was a nice guy as well, and he said “yes”. I asked if he was good enough to get to heaven and gave him the tract with the same title. I said it had a fair amount of text in it but was something everyone should read through. He took the tract and said he would definitely read it through later on.