By Rex Herndon
Having pastored for more than fiftyyears, I have had the opportunity to meet many interesting people who were living in circumstances both good and bad.
One such person was a man named, Neal, a Native American from the Tribal Nation of the Tatsviam Band of Mission Indians near Los Angeles and an American Veteran.
Neal served in the United States Marines, and upon being honorably discharged became homeless going from the symbolic, “Halls of Montezuma” to a mid-City bus bench, where he slept without complaint beneath a well used and ragged blanket.
It was not unusual to find Neal at the local Burger King Restaurant where I often stopped for coffee or lunch. He was very quiet and always polite, never asking other customers for money or a share of their food.
On occasion I would see him sitting alone at a table with nothing to eat. Knowing he was probably hungry, I offered to buy his breakfast or lunch which, perhaps because of his tribal pride or military training, he was reluctant to accept, but when he did it was with a heartfelt, ‘thanks.’
As reported in recent news reports, the State of California is home to a large percentage of all the homeless men and women in the United States. It is a problem with which state and local governments continually struggle.
Neal, is just one soul among hundreds of thousands, who need a compassionate “hand up,” more than just a “hand-out.”
They desperately need to discover the peace and higher purpose God intended them to have in life and be restored to a place of human dignity.
Such a dramatic change is only made possible by the immeasurable Grace of God and the Redeeming Blood of Jesus Christ, of Whom the prophet Isaiah, said, “ He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him,”(Isaiah 53.5).
Writing to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul, reminded us, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, (creation), old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.” (2Corinthians 5:17).
What Neal, and those like him, need more than anything is to come to the saving knowledge of Him who said, “ I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12).
From my High School days, I remember singing with our ‘Youth For Christ’ Group, “Christ is the answer to all my longings, Christ is the answer to all my needs. Savior, Baptizer, the Great Physician, O, Hallelujah. He’s all I need”
It was reassuring to tell Neal that in spite of his past life, or his present circumstances, God loves him and Jesus Christ gave His life for him. Standing on God’s Promises, I told him, beyond the bus bench, a better life awaited him!
However, his Native American religion and long held tribal traditions hindered him from accepting Christ. He also wrestled with the notion that because of his sinful past, he could never be loved or forgiven.
The words of author Corrie Ten Boom came to mind. “There is no pit so deep, that God’s Love is not deeper still.”
From all appearances, my efforts to lead Neal to a meaningful relationship to Christ had failed, so all I could do was sow the seed and prayerfully ask God to soften his heart and enlighten his mind. Perhaps, after reading this, you will take a moment and pray for Neal.
While writing this devotional, the words of a Fanny Crosby’s great hymn, “Rescue The Perishing,” written after ministering in a Skid row mission in New York City came to my mind. “Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter, feelings lie buried that Grace can restore: Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness, Cords that are broken will vibrate once more.”
One of my last encounters with Neal came as I was sitting in my car at Burger King, eating a small breakfast burrito and drinking orange juice.
Not paying too much attention to my surroundings, there came a knock on my car window, and when I lowered it, I looked into the face of Neal.
He was holding a small box filled with an assortment of fresh fruit. He said, “A fruit vendor just gave this to me and I want you to take what you want first before I eat it.”
I said, “Neal, I don’t want to take food you need.” But he insisted, so I took an apple, a banana and small cluster of grapes. I thanked him for his kindness and as he turned to walk away, looked at me with a smile on his face, and then he said something that startled me, He said, “God Bless you, Mister Rex!”
Wait a minute! Did he say, “God Bless you?”Evidently, the Holy Spirit was working in his heart and mind and he a homeless, hungry and destitute man was asking God to bless me, a man who, possessed everything he did not have. My hand shook as I ate a grape and the words of Fanny Crosby’s great hymn rang in my mind. “Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, snatch them in pity from sin and the grave. Weep o’re the erring one, lift up the fallen, tell them of Jesus the Mighty to save.”
Because of serious physical challenges, I am now homebound and unable to join Neal and other friends for fellowship at Burger King. But my prayer since that emotional moment has been, Lord, may Neal’s next journey take him, “From a bus bench, to the Kingdom of God!”
When thinking of Neal, let us remember the words of the 16th Century Protestant Reformer, John Bradford, who while watching prisoners being led to their execution said, “But for the grace of God, there go, I.”
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