Today driving home from work I saw a lady climbing into a metro-bus, as if she had just got off work. She was sort of heavy-set and her blue uniform had a badge on the side that clearly represented some security outfit. It instantly reminded me of the Union Gospel Mission, which I served at last night. There I had overheard one man in line talking with a pastor about the new job he had just got. Although homeless, and living on the street, he uses the Mission as his postal address and is able to keep his job that way.

And as I recalled last night, I began remembering some of the conversations I got into. Most of them were about how beautiful the weather is right now, or if not that, then it was seeing who needed salt and pepper and punch. The people in line, aside from one particularly sarcastic dude, had come to grab a tray, and each carried with them some of the most unpleasant faces I have ever seen. It was awesome to know beforehand that when I ask "How are you doin today?", that they would, unlike my coworkers, be interested in what I would think of their day. Each one gave this gargantuan smile and knew that I had asked because I cared. The Jr. Highers that we brought followed suit and, before there was a chance to realize it, the place was already happy as could be, and it became totally natural for me to strike up a random conversation with one of them. Each one had a story to tell (true or not true), and each one had their own reason for being optomistic that evening.

So, seeing that lady step into the bus, I imagined how awesome it would be to get to know her story. For what practical reason, I can't know. But from the way she walked and the way her shirt was untucked, I felt that she probably would not turn me down for a conversation: thus my dillema. Rather, my head began to write its own story about her, and I found myself picturing her family tree -- her being out on a limb, and about how she probably does a good job while she's at work. Have you ever felt out on a limb? In my experience, the only way that you stay on the limb is by grabbing other limbs, and depend on others to keep from falling.

Then I thought of how obvious it was that homeless people would make good security guards, because they're experienced adults who would really appreciate the pay of the meager income -- plus they have street smarts. Now I've decided that I had too much coffee this morning.

But all the same, I find it way too easy to live for good feelings. Serving the homeless was effective at cheering up hearts and providing food for hungry stomachs. However important both of those are, the good feeling I get from helping others tends to easily become the reason I continue to do it. In reality, Jesus doesn't ask us to love one another in order to share a cheerful heart: sometimes situations arise when there is nothing at all cheerful to share. Yet even in those moments we are asked (commanded; John 13:34) to love one another.

So I do look forward to the next time we get to serve at Union Gospel Mission, and I'm glad that God blessed our group and the mission with such a cheerful night.