April 2, 2011.
Bob is a modern day Job.
Bob was minding his own business, sitting on the bridge connecting the MGM Grand and NY NY hotels. He held his simple, cardboard sign explaining his hunger. Dressed in torn pants, a faded hoodie, a CocaCola hat and very dirtied, once white, shoes. I was [supposed to be] passing out flyers for the "Not For Sale" raising Human Trafficking Awareness Rally. But I could not stopping glancing his way, we made eye contact several times, stared for quite awhile at each other, but never spoke for the first thirty minutes. I passed my flyers off to the girl next to me saying, "I'll be back, I'm gonna go talk to that homeless guy."
Over an hour later, the rally had ended and I was still sitting on the ground talking to the homeless man named Bob.
I knew God wanted me to go talk to him, but I never knew it would be for more MY benefit than his. I didn't know that it was MY life that would be drastically changed, challenged. Not his. I did not know that it was MY faith that was to be shaped, increased, challenged, not his. After an hour of talking with the man I wished I could have stayed and listened an hour more. [I won't share everything, or hardly anything in comparison, with you for it would not benefit you as much as it has me. For it was not you whom God had divinely intervened to talk with Bob.]
Within a ten month period, Bob has read the New Testament [which is the only part of the Bible he owns, because someone blessed him] at least four times. He has also read half of the Koran, the Book of Mormon, part of the Jehovah's Witness, and some doctrines of Buddhism. Why? Because he wants to know what others think about God and who He is. But none of them bring him as much peace or joy as the Bible does when he reads it. None of them have challenged him, or taught him as much as the Bible has. What is his favorite part of the NT? Jesus' parables, because Jesus tells it like it is, he explains it easily, and it's great to model life after. "Jesus was a teacher, and says we are all supposed to be teachers in how we live. I never thought I was a teacher before, but I see now that my actions make me one," Bob explained simply.
Some of the greatest parable teachings Bob has taken away are these [in Bob's words]:
"I'm needy, but I'm not greedy."
"I'm not the one to judge people, that's not my job. That's God's job."
"I'm needy, but I'm not greedy."
Bob explained to me that he walked away from everything, including God, and now God is the only thing he has left. He does not "panhandle" unless he has no other option. He will first go to grocery stores, or businesses, or even some neighbors saying, "Is there any work I can do for you in exchange for food?" If someone buys him a meal he will eat until he is comfortably full then ask you to give the leftovers to another homeless man who is nearby. If the person refuses, Bob will thank them and save it so that he can later share his food with his fellow homeless friends. He shared a story with me in which he had not eaten in several days and was on the ramp of a freeway begging for food or money. Some girls drove up and asked HIM if HE had any money for gas. At first he wanted to say "no" because he had not eaten in two days and had only three dollars to his name. But he caught himself, and thought, "No, someone gave me this money to give to someone else who needed it more." These girls had everything, but at the time they were in need.
He gave up this three dollars. Why?
Bob believes and has seen that whatever God takes away, he returns and doubles it, sometimes triples. Bob also believes that there is no point to hold such value to materialistic items because they can be gone in a second. We cannot take them when we go to heaven. He wants to store up his heavenly treasures because he knows those will never be taken away, and he's perfectly fine waiting for them.
"I'm not supposed to judge people, that's not my job. That's God's job."
Bob explained how his mother was Indian and his father was "European" [for the sake of not wanting to discriminate or cause "hate" I will refrain from saying which nationality]. His father's side of the family always judged him and his mother because they were not "white."At a very young age Bob learned not to judge others. He explained how he used to have long hair and people would stereotype him as a thief or a thug. When he cut his hair short, he was treated normally. He grew a beard and many would glare, stare, and stereotype him as a "diseased piece of shit." While he appreciates the money people offer, he knows that many give out of guilt and to fill their quota of "doing good." When they give they sometimes throw the money at him, aiming for the cup but missing. Or do so at an outstretched arm's length. No one stops to talk with him unless they are needing to pass by time or are drunk and "want a good laugh."
But he will not judge anyone even though he is judged every single day. Why?
"I'm not supposed to judge people. That's not my job, that's God's job."
Ouch.
I'll admit, and ask for forgiveness, I judged Bob while we shared glances. I had no idea that beneath the brokeness, the dirt and grime, the torn clothing and simple sign, such a powerful man of God sat quietly trying to survive. Bob is a modern-day Job, I learned so much from him today. I look forward to more talks with Bob.
I honestly felt like I was sitting with Jesus himself.
A homeless man changed my life, thank you, Bob. I'm praying for you...
Bob is a modern day Job.
Bob was minding his own business, sitting on the bridge connecting the MGM Grand and NY NY hotels. He held his simple, cardboard sign explaining his hunger. Dressed in torn pants, a faded hoodie, a CocaCola hat and very dirtied, once white, shoes. I was [supposed to be] passing out flyers for the "Not For Sale" raising Human Trafficking Awareness Rally. But I could not stopping glancing his way, we made eye contact several times, stared for quite awhile at each other, but never spoke for the first thirty minutes. I passed my flyers off to the girl next to me saying, "I'll be back, I'm gonna go talk to that homeless guy."
Over an hour later, the rally had ended and I was still sitting on the ground talking to the homeless man named Bob.
I knew God wanted me to go talk to him, but I never knew it would be for more MY benefit than his. I didn't know that it was MY life that would be drastically changed, challenged. Not his. I did not know that it was MY faith that was to be shaped, increased, challenged, not his. After an hour of talking with the man I wished I could have stayed and listened an hour more. [I won't share everything, or hardly anything in comparison, with you for it would not benefit you as much as it has me. For it was not you whom God had divinely intervened to talk with Bob.]
Within a ten month period, Bob has read the New Testament [which is the only part of the Bible he owns, because someone blessed him] at least four times. He has also read half of the Koran, the Book of Mormon, part of the Jehovah's Witness, and some doctrines of Buddhism. Why? Because he wants to know what others think about God and who He is. But none of them bring him as much peace or joy as the Bible does when he reads it. None of them have challenged him, or taught him as much as the Bible has. What is his favorite part of the NT? Jesus' parables, because Jesus tells it like it is, he explains it easily, and it's great to model life after. "Jesus was a teacher, and says we are all supposed to be teachers in how we live. I never thought I was a teacher before, but I see now that my actions make me one," Bob explained simply.
Some of the greatest parable teachings Bob has taken away are these [in Bob's words]:
"I'm needy, but I'm not greedy."
"I'm not the one to judge people, that's not my job. That's God's job."
"I'm needy, but I'm not greedy."
Bob explained to me that he walked away from everything, including God, and now God is the only thing he has left. He does not "panhandle" unless he has no other option. He will first go to grocery stores, or businesses, or even some neighbors saying, "Is there any work I can do for you in exchange for food?" If someone buys him a meal he will eat until he is comfortably full then ask you to give the leftovers to another homeless man who is nearby. If the person refuses, Bob will thank them and save it so that he can later share his food with his fellow homeless friends. He shared a story with me in which he had not eaten in several days and was on the ramp of a freeway begging for food or money. Some girls drove up and asked HIM if HE had any money for gas. At first he wanted to say "no" because he had not eaten in two days and had only three dollars to his name. But he caught himself, and thought, "No, someone gave me this money to give to someone else who needed it more." These girls had everything, but at the time they were in need.
He gave up this three dollars. Why?
Bob believes and has seen that whatever God takes away, he returns and doubles it, sometimes triples. Bob also believes that there is no point to hold such value to materialistic items because they can be gone in a second. We cannot take them when we go to heaven. He wants to store up his heavenly treasures because he knows those will never be taken away, and he's perfectly fine waiting for them.
"I'm not supposed to judge people, that's not my job. That's God's job."
Bob explained how his mother was Indian and his father was "European" [for the sake of not wanting to discriminate or cause "hate" I will refrain from saying which nationality]. His father's side of the family always judged him and his mother because they were not "white."At a very young age Bob learned not to judge others. He explained how he used to have long hair and people would stereotype him as a thief or a thug. When he cut his hair short, he was treated normally. He grew a beard and many would glare, stare, and stereotype him as a "diseased piece of shit." While he appreciates the money people offer, he knows that many give out of guilt and to fill their quota of "doing good." When they give they sometimes throw the money at him, aiming for the cup but missing. Or do so at an outstretched arm's length. No one stops to talk with him unless they are needing to pass by time or are drunk and "want a good laugh."
But he will not judge anyone even though he is judged every single day. Why?
"I'm not supposed to judge people. That's not my job, that's God's job."
Ouch.
I'll admit, and ask for forgiveness, I judged Bob while we shared glances. I had no idea that beneath the brokeness, the dirt and grime, the torn clothing and simple sign, such a powerful man of God sat quietly trying to survive. Bob is a modern-day Job, I learned so much from him today. I look forward to more talks with Bob.
I honestly felt like I was sitting with Jesus himself.
A homeless man changed my life, thank you, Bob. I'm praying for you...
