Derek Webb’s music reminds me of my first trip to Guatemala. Listening to the songs stir up all the memories and the mystery of the place that I first felt when arriving. I remember sitting on the old stage in area 51 speaking about my time spent there and how it impacted me. One of Derek Webb’s songs came to mind, “Rich Young Ruler”, and I spoke on the relevancy of it in our community. The opening lyrics say this:

“Poverty is so hard to see
when it’s only on your tv and twenty miles across town
where we’re all living so good
that we moved out of Jesus’ neighborhood
where he’s hungry and not feeling so good
from going through our trash
he says, more than just your cash and coin
i want your time, i want your voice
i want the things you just can’t give me”

I’ve been listening to that album a lot recently. Maybe it’s because I miss the simplicity of Guatemala, or the genuineness of time spent at The Beacon,( a homeless aid center), downtown.  This past weekend I went down to Rice Village with my best friend Jenna. On the way home we were at the light at the intersection of the feeder and 242 and I noticed a homeless man cautiously propping a cardboard sign up in his arms that read, ” Need money, I’m hungry. God Bless.” I started scrummaging around in my purse, wishing I carried cash, when I realized I had a few extra dollars left over from earlier that day. I quickly pulled my wallet out and asked Jen to roll down the window to yell “Sir” and get his attention. As her voice echoed above the rumbling of engines, it finally reached his ears and revealed a hopeful look upon his face that moments before had been hidden. He made his way over to her car and with a grateful look on his face accepted the few dollars while thanking us repeatedly. “God bless yall”, he offered us his farewell and made his way down the road with a smile that’s only visible to those who allow themselves to truly seek deeper into individual’s hearts. As we drove off, all the stereotypical advice resounded in my mind, “don’t give homeless money, all they want is booze, they’re tricking you..”. I prayed he would choose not to use it on those things but quickly realized that whatever it was he chose to use my money on, I did not care. The exchanging of love bears a much greater weight than that of the materialistic items of this world. Whether that man bought himself a cold beer, or a warm blanket to sleep on that night-my hope is that he was able to see Jesus in me, the same way I saw our Savior in him.