# 7c – A Story of Homelessness and of Faith that Purifies the Heart (Part 3 of 3)

2) Help others do the works of faith

Today, we engage in high levels of frustration and anger over disputes aggravated by a sense of justice gone wrong. We feel strong emotions of betrayal accompanied by a sense that we have the “right” to see justice done. Fine. But these demands so often fall upon deaf ears—and in most cases go unsatisfied. So, what recourse is there?

Christians, who are conscious of God, are called to bear up under the pain of unjust suffering (1 Peter 2:19, 21 NIV). Christ is our example. He too had “rights”, which he chose not to exercise; instead, he entrusted them to God—for care or for action (1 Peter 2:21-23 NIV).

After I became homeless, I learned that today’s atmosphere of disputes and disagreements are opportunities for a rare type of faith to flourish. If we are sick at heart over our present situation, if our heart is heavy or angry, if we let our heart give up in the face of prolonged suffering, then we need the faith that purifies hearts (Acts 15:9).

First, we refrain from making a distinction between “us” and “them”. Second, we trust God, who makes no such distinction because he knows the hearts of “us” and “them”. Third, then God purifies the hearts of “us” by faith, which ultimately heals the sickness within. And fourth, if God chooses to remove “them” from their position of power because their heart resists every opportunity to do good—then that is God’s business.

Ours is to love.

=============================================================

Scriptures from King James Version of the bible and New International Version (NIV).

 

 

# 7b – A Story of Homelessness and of Faith that Purifies the Heart (Part 2 of 3)

2) Help others do the works of faith

I felt comforted that Jesus also had no permanent place to lay his head. Finally, after many nights had stretched into 11 unsettling months, my heart was ready to forgive. Only then did the situation miraculously right itself.

I was home again. In an effort to make peace, I sought out the person whose power had brought me to experience homelessness, unrighteousness, and pain. After all, he was a “positional” Christian, and under God’s law, I owed him nothing except love (Rom. 13:8 NIV). I held out my hand and he shook it, politely inquiring if my unpacking had gone well. I nodded, unable to stop silent tears from streaming down my face. Nonetheless, I was satisfied. I accomplished pono (righteousness) between us and my heart knew God was pleased.

Five months later, the Association let our manager go. Shortly afterwards, I found myself in the laundry room, sharing my homeless story with the head of the Association. I was told to hire an attorney because I had broken no lease terms to warrant an eviction. I could sue.

I considered the advice. Who had more “right” to sue than I had? Then, once again, a bible verse gently “walked” across my mind. “Why not rather be wronged?  Why not rather be cheated?” (1 Cor. 6:7 NIV) These were tough questions. At first, I resisted. What was God after?

“Forgive” quietly echoed in my head. I sighed heavily. I had forgiven. My heart was clean. I tossed out that good-looking temptation.

(A Story of Homelessness…continues in Part 3 of 3)

Scripture from the New International Version (NIV) of the bible.

# 7a – A Story of Homelessness and of Faith that Purifies the Heart (Part 1 of 3)

2) Help others do the works of faith

Under an evening streetlight, I silently waved goodbye to my ‘ohana (family). They watched from the window of what used to be my fourth floor residence. Then quietly, as if to match the somberness of the moment, a bible verse “walked” across my mind. “All things work for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Was God asking me to trust him no matter how my homeless situation unfolded?

I slept in my car that first night and grieved over my loss. I had nothing now except faith in an unseen God in whose hands I had placed my life many years ago. Faith told me that God had my back. Faith reminded me that God knew where I lay my head. Faith assured me that God grieved and hurt with me; that he understood my anger, my desire to lash out at the powers that had manipulated my lifestyle in one moment of time.

Relatives eventually put me up at night. By 5:30 in the morning I’d be gone, not wanting to become an unwelcome guest. During the day, there was nothing to do, nowhere to go—except to state parks. These were hassle-free at the time and provided the necessary bathroom facilities.

The alienation and mental-emotional stresses we face daily are overwhelming. Add to that the recent criminalization of homelessness by governing powers, and our situation escalates to insurmountable. No one truly "adjusts" to homelessness.

Instead, we dodge and cope.

(A Story of Homelessness...continues in Part 2 of 3)
================================================
Scripture from the King James Version (KJV) of the bible.