I really am a horrible person!

     Almost everyday I pass a man sitting on the side of the road with a sign which says "Homeless and Hungry,  Anything Will Help, God Bless.  Everyday I feel justified in not doing anything about his situation because I say to myself, "He is just a con-man looking for a hand out.  He will just use my money to buy drugs or alcohol."
     This morning my wife walks into my office and says "I want to go pray for the homeless man and I need you to come with me."  I must admit that my typical reaction when my wife asks me to join her in something like this, is that I drag my feet.  For whatever reason, today I was a willing accomplice.  We drove over to where he was, got out of our car and walked over to him.  He didn't see us coming, so when we spoke to him it about scarred him out of his skin.  I had to keep reassuring him that we were not going to hurt him.  I told him we were there to help him and not to hurt him.
     I asked him how he became homeless.  He went into a 5 minute explanation of how he ended up where he was.  In my spirit I really believed what he had to say.  I told him that we were Christians and wanted to help him.  I told him that we would go buy him a blanket and return.  My wife recognized that our work with this man wasn't complete.  She began to share the Gospel with him and asked him if he wanted to surrender his life to Jesus.  He emphatically said "Yes I do, but I don't know how to do that."  We led him in a prayer of confession and surrender to Jesus.
     After we prayed his face changed dramatically and he said "Am I . . . what do you call what I am now?"  My wife said "Your Saved."  He began to get really excited and "Yeah that's it.  I am saved."  We told him about our church and offered to pick him up on Sunday.  He was thrilled at the opportunity.
     We then went back to our car.  I told Dianne, "I repent of every time I have ever looked at a homeless person with harden heart and said, 'They are just a con-artist looking for a hand out.'"  We then went and bought him a blanket and hot coffee.
     When we went back and handed him the blanket and the coffee, I said "God Bless You."  I immediately thought of James 2:15-17 - Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, "God bless you and have a good day; stay warm and eat well" -- but then you don't give that person any food or clothing.  What good does that do?  So you see, faith by itself isn't enough.  Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
     Listen to how the Message words that last statement:  "Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?"  For too long I have had the "God-talk" part down but have been lacking in the "God-acts" department.  This whole experience reminded me of how truly alive I feel when I am doing God-acts.  We don't do God-acts out of quilt or obligation but because of the thrill of being a part of God's mission and His story.
     I challenge you to keep your eyes, ears and heart open to those God-acts he may prompt you to do today.