Rich’s Ride has taken us to some special places. One of those is Grace Place, the homeless ministry of Galloway United Methodist Church in downtown Jackson, Mississippi.
The people at Grace Place do amazing work, and it’s difficult to explain how warmly they’ve welcomed us into their family. When I’m asked why I do this, Grace Place is part of my answer.
I was honored to be invited back to speak to the men at Grace Place last Thursday. After my presentation a young lady approached. Even suspending judgment based on external appearance, this neat, blonde young woman obviously wasn’t part of the typical struggling, homeless clientele at Grace Place.
We chatted for a long time, and I learned she recently began volunteering at the church. She left college because, while she was doing well, she couldn’t find a sense of purpose or direction. My presentation hit a sensitive spot because she knew her life was supposed to be about something more than a routine job and accumulating stuff. She wanted a big, God-sized dream, something risky and outrageous and God-inspired. She didn’t want to settle, and she was willing to wait for a sense of direction from God.
I told her I admired her patience and faith. She smiled, then said something interesting.
Gesturing toward the disheveled men scattered around the room she said, “I’ve learned that in many ways I’m no different than these guys. I’m jobless. I dropped out of school. I show up here for a few hours, but aside from that I’m just drifting right now.
“The difference between me and them,” she continued, “is my background and support system. My parents taught me about God, and they’ll help and support me as much as they can. I’m not on my own like these guys have been for most of their lives.”
That young woman had a rare gift—the ability to step outside of her own shoes. We often see another person and say, “If I was in that situation I’d…”
But even if you were in the situation, it would be different because you’re different. You bring your own background, wisdom, experience, knowledge, faith, and character.
I believe my new young friend will be fine. She’ll write a great story with her life, because we aren’t our circumstances.
We are, in the end, the choices we make about how to respond.
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