Preconceived Notions

I know we all have some preconceived notions of "reality."  One of mine was that all progressives or liberals (political or "Christian") were more or less evil.  I'm happy to report that view is now in the past and the fact is I have learned a lot of helpful and meaningful theology and public policy from my progressive and liberal friends.  I have come to see (by the grace of God) that a narrow or close minded perspective makes Johnny and Suzy dull (as well as ignorant) boys and girls.  Ah, the need for a good ole' liberal arts education and a theology that grows deeper than the crowd!

Anyway, all of that to share with you an interesting incident I experienced the other day.  I traveled back to a soup kitchen in my area and decided to park across the street in a small counseling center parking lot just to observe the goings and comings at the soup kitchen.  What I saw were a few cars in the soup kitchen parking lot and a couple of men walking from the soup kitchen not to the parked cars but passed the cars and down the street to who knows where.  The men seemed decently groomed and dressed. 

About that time a late model white Cadillac pulled into the counseling center parking lot right next to me.  A very well dressed older woman with meticulously styled  snow white hair probably in her sixties removed herself from the car and asked me if I had business with the counseling center.  I suspect she might have been the properitor of the counseling center and I repled no that I was just inquiring about the soup kitchen.  This is what she told me.

She said that the soup kitchen was run by the people who own a small health food store around the corner and that they could tell me more about it.  She said that a few of the folks who frequent the kitchen were "probably genuinely needy, but most of the people were just addicts."  She was gesturing with her hand as if brushing all the addicts aside.  I asked her where they all slept and she told me they sleep here and there, behind buildings or in the fields under trees.  Both her voice and facial expression conveyed the sense that all of them were a real bother, as she walked away and into the counseling center.

I'm plan to talk with the health store owners to learn more about my brothers and sisters who eat together in the soup kitchen and sleep outdoors.  I was really ticked how the well to do woman talked and gestured about the addicts and homeless, but I'm working to forgive her because I'm sure it's another example of preconceived notions.  It was Jesus who said, "Forgive them Father, they no not what they do." 

This is my call to ask all of us, to search our souls for our faulty preconceived notions when it come to the neighbors around us who are struggling through life without regular food, housing, employment, etc.  Let's think together about loving ways we can help our neighbors in practical and meaningful ways - like Jesus.

Drop me a line on FB or comment here.  Thanks!

Peace for real,
Dennis