When the Neigborhood Turns

[BHiles]

I live in a fairly affluent bedroom community of Chicago. There is quite an accute division of neighborhoods/towns/cities that are distinct by home values. My town doesn't have any apratment complexes in it and the town north of me has most of the shopping that one would ever need. It to has always been a faily upper middle class area with very exclusive High-end housing all around. 1-5 million dollar homes.

I have been suprised as of late at the people who have been shopping and/or working in this town to our north. It seems that a different group of people have swept in to town completely by suprise to me. All of a sudden their are fairly shady looking characters everywhere. There are beggers on the street and whole lot going on that made me feel uneasy concerning the areas security that once was there. I have come to find out that Section 8 housing has come to that town. I was quite shocked but a few of the major Apartment complexes have opened up section 8 housing and it really has impacted the community.

I completely dismayed about how they could do such a thing to a wonderful community to live in and wonder about safety/crime and taxes that will be needed to support the various burdens placed on the local municipalities for services in which little or no income would be coming back from theses new groups who will be requireing more (medic can back me up on this).

Quite frankly it angered me.

Then yesterday I was at a store an I saw a lady from our church. She was walking into the store and on the way in she handed a worker of that store (who I would assume falls into this new category of residents) a gospel tract. I knew what it was because our church's tracts look the same and because I knew her to be an avid soulwinner. The young man instead of crumpling it up like most of the kids of our area would do opened the tract and started reading.

Immediately I felt the stinging burn in my heart. You know the one that starts there and then burns from the top of your head all the way down your body. As tears swelled up in my eyes I repented of the wickedness in my heart. For to me these people were burden, crime, riff raff and throw aways-but to her they were a mission field. :redface

[HeIsEnough]

Well, I just posted this, in another thread. It applies, verbatim.


Galations 2

9James, Peter[c] and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. 10All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.


There is much to be said in the scriptures about dealing with the poor. Whether poor in spirit or in material wealth, we are to care for them and to help them.

[elredcrow]

I just wrote this today... It seemed to go with your post just a bit as far as being judgmental goes.

But Gawd!
Matthew 7: 3-5
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, "let me take the speck out of your eye," when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly
to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Hah! But God, you just don't understand. I am so 'put out' with the way she acts. I am tired of always being the one to give in and apologize. Why does everything have to always be her way? I can't take it anymore!!!!!

And besides, that speck of sawdust in her eye is the size of Texas! Don't you see it? Good grief!

I don't know about you, but I tend to look at others through eyes filled with logs and planks and two by fours instead of through the eyes of Jesus' love. Acquaintances, family, friends.... everyone we come into contact with.. If their personalities, ideas, moods or character traits clash with ours, we begin to judge. We don't mean to... it just happens.

It's really hard to see well when your eyes are so full of obstruction. Especially if it is your spiritual eyes that are all blocked up.

When we take time to pray and remove those building blocks of judgment from our spiritual eyes, we may see that the offending brother or sister is in pain or need. You or I could possibly be the very one that God wants to use to demonstrate His love in their life.

We say "but Gawd! You don't understand! I AM NOT THE BAD GUY!" and He says, " I know. But you are the one that I want to send. Are you willing to see through My eyes? Let's take that plank out together and see what happens! "

There is a world out there that needs His love. Let's ‘see' what we can do to help spread it.

[BHiles]

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[D'Light]

BHiles, what an awesome testimony!!

Thank-you!

I know we all feel this way at times, I know I have gotten disappointed before. When I bought this house, try to fix it nice and then the house across the street goes for 'rent'. Of course alot of renters don't take care of the place and there goes the neighborhood! We have all felt this way at times.

Just the other day, I was trying to fight this way of thinking, the reason, it is an unmarried couple living together, he has a 'bottle' in his hand starting 7 a.m. in the morning....they need this love, I am sure they have plenty of the judgement.

elredcrow...good writing!!

[Jiggy37]

Excellent stuff...

[Archangelmom]

I'm trying very hard not to be extremely sarcastic to the first part of your post, I really am.I'll be as gentle as I can with this subject. :redface

I'm very thankful that you live in the area that you do, but there are more than a few that do not live as you do, nor are they as sheltered to the real life that exists outside of a minimum hundred thousand dollar income lifestyle.

Not all of us "poor" people are in need of the Lord. Some of those Section 8 people are people that run ministries that distribute food and clothing. You don't have to have the money, you have to have the calling.
I'm not one of the Section 8 people, I know one woman, Bea Gaddy, in Balto, that made a huge impact on the East Balto community by doing the same thing, and staying in the same neighborhood that was, and is still considered "Dangerous" to many. You do not go there.
Bea's legacy lives on after her death, and it's still going. :clap

Realizing that a little part of your world connects with someone else, and that you personally can be a huge part in improving it, goes a long way, BHiles.
I wish that I could explain it better in one single post, but it would take a book comparing regions of the country,other places, good and bad, ghettos, high end neighborhoods, other cultures, etc to explain, but I won't waste the bandwith on it.I've lived in pretty much all places and experienced a lot of things that, for the good and the bad, have made me who I am now.I was a LOT lost until about 4 years ago. He changed that!!
Above it all, God is at the head of my family now. :):
I'm just thankful that you had a chance to know that others have feelings just as you do, and that some might need more help than you thought. Good on you, and Praise God that you are growing in Him!! :clap :):
In Jesus,
Mindy

[Archangelmom]

Addendum to my post, (Sorry, my kids are driving me a bit wonky right now. :wacko )

I understand that you are distrubed at the change in your town. It happens, unfortunantly to some of the best areas. I'm sorry that you are seeing more of the negative than the postive in some of the less fortunante that are working and begging in your area, but just keep that feeling that the Lord has given you for looking at this in a positive way. You may be well surprised at where He takes you on this..
God bless you, Bhiles, I know that reading your posts that you have blessed me. :):

[Hyssop]

For to me these people were burden, crime, riff raff and throw aways-but to her they were a mission field.




:cry Exceptionally beautiful post.

[funnyface]

BHiles,
From someone who has been through section 8 and knows many good people who are/have been section 8 recipients, Thank You for allowing your eyes to be opened.
It's so frustrating dealing with the misconception that all low income people are drug addicts, alcoholics, violent criminals, etc. Some of us are just honest God loving people who are still in the beginning stages of a work in progress.

[BHiles]

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[BHiles]

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[Armywife Jane]

My family is not rich ,none of my family is , I grew up living in Section 8 housing, but my mother is a wonderful Chirstian, she did what she could..... makes me sad when people assume the worst.
Im still "poor" to this day, but money isnt compared to love.

[Resting In Him]

I know what it's like to be poor, different, uneducated and an outcast in our society. It isn't fun and can be very lonely. :(:

I have appreciated and am ever so thankful for the few who have shown the love of Jesus to me.

More than anything I am thankful for Jesus who is no respector of persons. I know that He loves me. He even loved me when I was in my dirty, sin stained garments. What a Savior. What a friend!:):

[WhiteH2OWoman]

Brent, I admire your Christian spirit and I'm glad you can look on it in this way.

8 months ago, my husband and I moved from northwest Austin out to the hill country and I have thanked God each day that we got this blessing.

Our old neighborhood in Austin was a new one, with lots of foreigners, but had very little crime, even though there was some Section 8 housing in the mega-apartment complex that bordered our neighborhood.

Then Katrina hit. Husband and I donated much clothing, money, and I made a special trip to the store to buy food they asked people to donate.

Then they moved Katrina refugees into the Section 8 housing of that apartment complex.

Cars started getting broken into. Our cars were egged and keyed in the driveway. Houses started getting into, and one I rode my bike past had 4 police cars there for an hour, with yellow crime scene tape like someone had been murdered.

We also had muslims move in next door and a Baptist Church close, only to be sold and reopen as a mosque.

We moved.

Yes, I now feel a strong calling to win souls and put out tracts and such...but I feel such a strong sense of peace at where we live now and I feel much, much safer. Maybe it's because I'm a 48-year-old woman with a bad knee, I don't know. (I do carry a gun, though, and have had lots of training and practice.)

I should mention that crime and the new mosque were not the main reason we moved, but were heavy contributors. The way I look at it, I can perform the Great Commission in ways that don't endanger my life and property.

[joy4Him2day]

Very interesting post, and one that provokes emotion..........

I have been studying Mount Carmel incident lately, and something recently stood out to me.......before Elijah called on God to act on the sacrifice he made......he painstakenly rebuilt the "broken down altar of God" in front of the people......it was the altar that was trashed by the Israelites after Solomon died, when they decided to serve other gods......I can envision people walking by it, tossing their junk its way, disregarding the Holiness that was established about it......I can imagine them tearing down its known form until it was not recognizable in their attempt to do away with their guilt of not keeping covenant with God.........

I remembered that we are God's people. And somewhere through our life after we are born, we and others demolish this "temple" of God in one form or another. When we negatively impact each other, it is like throwing trash around or tearing down what is God's. Instead, we should be looking for ways to "build" each other up---but we can't while we are busy about protecting ourselves--the job that God said He would do if we just did what He asked......when we are unloving to each other, it is like breaking into each other's cars/houses, or egging their vehicles......in essence, it is bringing a little of the pit into the temple area.....the Holy Ground.........but, we only see this world's view....not God's......and not as God sees it......

In our churches, their are many thiefs, and destitute people....destitute of love, paupers, when we should be rich and overflowing in the God-love area........but we are so busy seeing things in this world as the world sees it......we need to have everything brought captive into the obedience of Christ----especially how we think, and see.

My daughter went to a banquet where a newly blinded person sat next to her. The woman asked my daughter if her (the woman's) clothes matched, what her (the woman's ) jewelry looked like. She could not see them, and she was aware that she could not see, so she asked. Most people don't know they are blind. They have learned to "see" blind, but they dont realize they are still blind........and I think a lot of christians have learned to "see blind" and don't realize they are still blind......

My daughter said she proceeded to watch this woman feed herself with a fork, and several times almost poked herself in the eye.........several times the woman asked her what she (the woman) was eating..........My daughter was feeling sick, and a little disgusted, but sorry, and sad, and overwhelmed with this woman's new plight..........

And then my daughter heard the Lord say: "this is how I found you. You were blind, and poking yourself in the eye when you tried to feed yourself....you had no idea what you were eating, no wearing, nor if it was appropriate"

He came to take away our blind-ness, not teach us how to cope with it.......how to see "blind". God wants no blind people---He wants to free them from "worldly-visiion" as it is faulty....too many of us are "seeing blind" as we have not realized we were blind in the first place........we have been blind for so long, we either don;t believe we are----or we have learned to cope with it to the point that we "think we can see".........

O Lord, help my blindness.

[BHiles]

Very Nice Joy.

[AnyDayNow]

I have only had the privilege of filling the pulpit 2 times in my life. At one of those times, at the end of my message, I asked the congregation a question. I asked them that if Jesus was still Ministering on the earth and visited our town for the first time, what part of our city would He go to first? While most of the people answered correctly that it would be the poorest part of town, I issued them a challenge. I asked them then WHY wasn't our church more active in that area?

When I see lost people around me (insofar as I can "see" their lostness) I often think that the only difference between them and me is that I am forgiven. They are not. When that happens, all I want to think about is the unfairness of it. They aren't doing anything I didn't do when I didn't know Jesus, so I can't possibly judge them. But it is judgment they will get if they don't find Jesus. Seeing that unfairness should drive us all to pray for the lost.

[joyfulyredeemed]

Thanks for bumping that post. My story:

My family was on Section 8 for several years. Both my husband & I worked fulltime minimum wage jobs and he went to school as well. After graduating from college, my husband got a wonderful job in his field. This new job paid so well, it meant that I could quit working & stay at home with our 5 children just as I always wanted to. Best of all, we no longer needed any type of public assistance & could finanally move from our crummy, dirty neighborhood.

Our new neighborhood wasn't great (no million dollar homes there), but it was exceptionally clean, well-kept & viritually crime free. We felt so blessed from the Lord and so thankful for His provisions. Eventually, several section 8 families moved in to our new neighborhood. Police cars now canvassed our neighborhood several times each day, there were break-in's, robberies, prostitution, drug dealing, and more.

Inspite of this, MOST of the section 8 families were wonderful neighbors! One new neighbor was a Christian who loved the Lord so much, her joy just radiated from her!

The worst neighbor I had always was looking for trouble. She used drugs, took advantage of the "system", her children were terrors...I couldn't stand her and my family avoided them at all costs. My joyful Christian neighbor didn't avoid her however and do you know what? My worst neighbor accepted Jesus as Savior! She quit smoking, drinking and using drugs cold turkey! She brings not only her own family to church with her, but the children of other neighborhood families as well.

I'm crying as I remember the day this dear woman walked over to my house and invitited my children to VBS. Here I was, a Christian for many years & NEVER once did I offer to bring her children to church with me. I NEVER once spoke to her about the Lord or made any effort to get to know her. And here she is, this new, baby believer witnessing to me & offering to take my children to church. How beautiful is that? I will never forget my shame!

[SusanM]

What an awesome thread. It is so easy to forget where we all came from, whether materially rich or poor in the beginning, we were all spiritually poor. We are all called to be ministers of reconcilliation. What a privilege.

When I find recognize that I've fallen into judgmentalism, I repent and start praying for people. Immediately I see them in a different light. Thank God that His mercies are new every morning. :D:

God bless you all!! PS, I'm not rich in material things, but I'm very wealthy in spiritual blessings. :nod

[Morningstarlet]

BHiles, your post spoke to my heart because I'm dealing with the same feelings. My hometown has been overrun with immigrants within the past 15-20 years. Every Sunday I drive past a 7-11 where illegal immigrants gather for day work. It infuriates me. Then one Sunday as I drove past a thought went through my head, and I know it was God speaking to me. What if you took some Spanish tracts and passed them out to those men? Immediately I looked at them as sinners needing salvation instead of illegal immigrants invading my country. I haven't gotten the courage to pass out tracts, but I'm trying to be more compassionate. Only through Christ can I possibly do it.

[Resting In Him]

I have to share a funny little story.....

We live in a mixed apartment complex. Lots of Spanish, blacks, Mid-eastern Indians, and yes some whites.

To continue with my story.......the people next to our apartment moved out. I asked God if He would please bring in a Christian family with whom I could have fellowship.

He's so faithful.......He did! He brought in a Russian family - two families as a matter of fact (Christian). We fellowship every day with a big friendly "hi" and a big wave and smile - they don't speak any English!!! :lol

I'm not smart enough to learn Russian - I hope they are smarter than me! :D:

[Morningstarlet]

Thanks for bumping that post. My story:

My family was on Section 8 for several years. Both my husband & I worked fulltime minimum wage jobs and he went to school as well. After graduating from college, my husband got a wonderful job in his field. This new job paid so well, it meant that I could quit working & stay at home with our 5 children just as I always wanted to. Best of all, we no longer needed any type of public assistance & could finanally move from our crummy, dirty neighborhood.

Our new neighborhood wasn't great (no million dollar homes there), but it was exceptionally clean, well-kept & viritually crime free. We felt so blessed from the Lord and so thankful for His provisions. Eventually, several section 8 families moved in to our new neighborhood. Police cars now canvassed our neighborhood several times each day, there were break-in's, robberies, prostitution, drug dealing, and more.

Inspite of this, MOST of the section 8 families were wonderful neighbors! One new neighbor was a Christian who loved the Lord so much, her joy just radiated from her!

The worst neighbor I had always was looking for trouble. She used drugs, took advantage of the "system", her children were terrors...I couldn't stand her and my family avoided them at all costs. My joyful Christian neighbor didn't avoid her however and do you know what? My worst neighbor accepted Jesus as Savior! She quit smoking, drinking and using drugs cold turkey! She brings not only her own family to church with her, but the children of other neighborhood families as well.

I'm crying as I remember the day this dear woman walked over to my house and invitited my children to VBS. Here I was, a Christian for many years & NEVER once did I offer to bring her children to church with me. I NEVER once spoke to her about the Lord or made any effort to get to know her. And here she is, this new, baby believer witnessing to me & offering to take my children to church. How beautiful is that? I will never forget my shame!

What an awesome story. We never know just who the Lord will bring into His flock. It could be the person you would think least likely to accept Him. I know I'm horribly guilty of being judgmental, may the Lord soften my heart to the needs of others. :cry

[Mark 6:10]

What a great thread - when I began reading the first post I thought "whoa, and here I had a totally different impression of this guy" but by the end I had an improved impression of you Bhiles, you were able to show God working in you right in your story... (one question though - what is a "bedroom community"?)
The other posts on here were great as well, even being poor myself, I realize through the introspection this thread has caused me to have, that I too have a habit of doing this - my prayers will include my attitudes as well as my RR "family" tonight.

[Funmudder]

Wow, several heart moving stories in this post BHiles, just what I needed to see.

Thanks to everyone for sharing.

[ncgirl]

Brent, thanks for sharing your story. It's never easy sharing what's in our heart, exposing truth. I'm so greatful you did. :nod

I gained something from each story here.......sho' did make me think.........

Thankful for the message.......ncgirl