An Unordinary Haircut

So I went to get my haircut today. I know what you're thinking. "Cool story bro." And actually, it turns out to be a pretty cool one. My day was normal until I walked out into the parking lot to leave from the barbershop.

As I was walking to my car, a man calls out to me. I look up from texting, and see an older African American man and a younger man. The older man asks if I could spare any money. He was persistent in asking, but I didn't have any cash on me. So I offered to buy him and his nephew some food.

As we were walking to a local burger joint, the older man mentioned that his sister-in-law and brother were with him. Apparently they had been walking around asking for cash to rent a motel room for the night. I'll be honest. I was a bit overwhelmed by the company and didn't expect to pay for so many people. But nonetheless, it's just food. It's the least I can do to help someone in need.

So we sat in the restaurant and started talking. Louise and John were the married couple. Larry was the old man I first met. And the young man was John (he was only 16 but looked like he was a college graduate). Anyway, I assured them that they can order anything that they wanted.

Louise
I struck up a conversation with Louise, who was the only female of the group. She told me all about how her father-in-law passed away in Houston a few weeks ago, how their family has been struggling recently, how she's barely managing to pay for her storage unit, how she's trying to keep her part time job as a nurse, etc. It became more real to me how blessed I am.

So as we continued our conversation, I was upfront and honest with them. I told them I was a Christian. And that I try to do what is written in the Bible. I continued on to apologize for any bad experiences they've had with other "Christians" who may have been hurtful, judgmental, or whatever else. But Louise interrupted me and responded with complete understanding.

She began to talk how she went to church weekly, read the bible, and prayed earnestly. Of course, I didn't take her for her word. I was a bit skeptical. I wasn't sure if she was trying to get on my "good/trusting" side. But then things felt different.

Louise explained how it's so difficult to keep God prioritized in our lives. We get so caught up with other things in life, and we forget who brought us, and everything, into existence. Especially at her point in life, she admits that she needs God to bring peace in her life. She says that going to church instills a peace/comfort.

She continued on to mention how so many individuals go to church for the wrong reasons. Some people feel that going to church once a week cleans the slate. As long as you go once a week, you can do whatever you want. I was amazed at how she understood that.

We switched topics to the "American Dream". I told them my opinion about how it's a lie. It creates selfishness in every individual to pursue something that's non-existent. Louise began to talk about her brother. He's a very successful business man, and he's making millions. She told me how she asked for some financial help, but he saw her as a burden. It hurt me as I listened.

Look, all these individuals don't beg because they want to. I asked Louise, John, Larry, and John. They all admitted that they don't want to ask for money. It's the most humiliating thing to ask for help. I mean, John is just a 16 year old kid. If he's already out in the streets, then who knows how long he'll even live.

Finally, they asked for one more favor. They wanted some help to get a motel room for the night. I didn't know what to do. I don't make any income, so I called to ask my dad. He told me to use my best judgement, and I truly believed that these individuals were honest people. So long story short, I drove to a nearby atm to withdraw some money. I handed them the cash and a few missionary tracks.

And I'll never forget what Louise said... "Please pray for us." Never have I heard that from a homeless individual. They always ask for food or money. But Louise asked for prayer. So if you've read this far, please pray for a fellow sister in Christ.

I can continue to talk about other things. But think about how blessed you are. What are you doing with the resources you have? Don't waste them. I'm not saying to go out and give money away, and I'm surely not trying to brag for the deeds that I've done. Do something that matters. Do something for the Kingdom of God.