Cheese Pizza…Best Christmas Present Ever!

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40

We drove up to the church and saw that someone was sleeping in the entry way. My youngest, Riley, asked what I was going to do… “I’m going to ask’em to leave”, I replied.

My boys and I were headed to the church to put up some Christmas lights in the fellowship hall at church. That’s when we saw this person sleeping outside the church. My first instinct was, “I’ve got to ask this person to leave.” We already have a ministry that allows registered guests to sleep in their cars in the parking lot. This alone has caused some anxiety with the neighbors falsely saying that we have started a “homeless camp”. I certainly can’t allow a homeless lady to sleep outside next to the church.

When I walked up to the lady, I greeted her and she just started crying. She started telling me that people yell at her, nobody gives her a chance, and she doesn’t think she can make it another winter. I sat down with my boys beside me and just listened. After finding out more about her and her story, finding out she has been on the street for 7 years, I asked if we could get her something to eat. She said her favorite is cheese pizza. So, me and the boys got pizza, brought it back to the church and had dinner with her. While we were eating and talking together, she said to us, “this is the best Christmas present ever”.

I wrestle within myself how to best handle these situations. I didn’t really want to take the time that evening. But then again, there are two reasons I did.

First, Jesus said that helping those in need is just like helping Him. Therefore, when I take time to help those with less than; it is as though I were doing it for Jesus.

Second, my boys were with me. I’m so thankful they were. They got to see their dad take time to care for a fellow human being. They certainly get to see me do this more than that evening. But the reality is, this time it was with a person that most would not take time for.

As the evening was coming to a close, I was walking to my office and my youngest ran up to me to ask if we had any water bottles. He asked if he could give her one.

Helping your children see how to treat a fellow human being even when many would not give them the time of day might just be the best Christmas present ever.

Merry Christmas!