Recollections of a Blind Man's Past

(Something I pulled out of my archives - written in Sept. '07)

Does anyone in our churches care about the people who are floundering? And why is our solution to their hurting always another program? Titus seems to think that the solution is for the older to come along side the younger; to teach them, to show them what it looks like to grow up in the Lord; to demonstrate the way of journeying through life in righteousness. He does not explain how to structure a mentoring program nor does he lay out a twelve step process.

We, on the other hand, see a few young guys wandering through life, making poor choices, hurting themselves and their lonely single mothers, and what is our response? We say things like, “Let’s do things for single mothers, let’s build up a mentoring program for young boys, let’s structure a process through which these boys can become Godly men.” And we all stand, applaud and shout amen.

But those programs never happen. The single mothers remain alone to fret over their lost and misguided young sons, continuing their destructive lifestyles, all the while thinking they are making a life for themselves. I suppose they are making a life for themselves, but it is not a life that I would, by any means, wish on anyone.

Why do these great and mighty initiatives never happen? Because they are just that, great and mighty. They are elaborate programs built with the assumption that they will wipe out the problem all at once. After making an initial effort, we find that the problem still remains. Or worse, we never make the initial effort because we simply do not have the man power to put together a program of that caliber.

I believe that Titus would say our efforts, although well intentioned, are utterly useless. There is no program that can replace loneliness, no church activity that can stand in the void an absent father has created in a child’s heart. It is the simple yet indescribably significant relationship of one to another that can make a difference. Mother Theresa once said that in this life we can not do great things, only small things with great love. She was one person who understood the teachings of Titus; that it is you and I who make the difference through our love. No program can provide that.

If there aren’t people, individuals, who are willing to step up and take the initiative, to enter into the lives of those they see hurting, lost and wandering, then there simply aren’t people who genuinely care. No one has caught the vision of Christ’s love, no one who has been compelled by God’s never ending heart of compassion.

Starbaic (star-bay-ick)

Do one at Starbucks next, huh? Well you sure are demanding. You know I’d never end up sitting at Starbucks with my lap top had it not been for your demand for another random writing episode, set in the serene Starbaic atmosphere. Yes, I did just make up the word “starbaic”. I think it might catch on.

I was lucky and scored the comfy chairs in the corner; my favorite seat. I’m sitting next to this Asian guy who is probably around my age, mid-twenties. It’s a typical sight, really; he’s dressed in business attire: black suit pants, socks and dress shoes, with a white pin stripe button up long sleeve shirt. His hair is neatly cut and combed. His cell phone is fashionably affixed on his hip in a leather cell phone case. He’s reading, so I look over, interested, and notice, to my absolute horror, that he is ready a comic book novel, which I didn’t even know until just now even existed. Go figure. He just took a call on his cell phone; definitely a business call, negotiations and what not. He’s writing on this notebook that looks like he stole from a fifth grader. Probably the same poor little kid he ripped off those comic novels from.

I’m bored with him, let’s move on. I was going to talk about the chick that was sitting at the table across from me, but she’s not there anymore. The cute guy who said goodbye to practically everyone in the store is gone now, so it figures she would leave. After he left, one of the workers said something to the girl at the table; she laughed in a “oh my god, I think he likes me” kind of way. I mean, after all, he did touch her shoulder as he said goodbye. I’m sure he’s in love. Anyway, she’s gone now. Which is a good thing because she was sitting at the designated handicap table and that could be awkward.

This place is crawling with the stereotypical southern Californian types. There’s the hip mom, stopping in quickly before picking up the kids. She talks on her cell phone ear piece as she comes in and out, oblivious to everyone. Of course there is the super cool young guy wearing black jeans and a wife beater who is way too cool to be here in the first place and walks in with a look that says, “I am way too cool to be here in the first place.” Then there is the older business guy who is, of course, all business and can’t even crack a smile at the barista, but barks his order and darts directly over to the pick up counter, obviously frustrated that his drink isn’t instantly waiting there fo him. Then there is the random teenager who sits on the patio with his iPod earphones in his ears and stares out at the street. What is he doing here? I’m sure he wonders the same thing about me. hell, most of the time I wonder the same thing about me, if we’re being honest, which is odd because really I’m being honest but WE aren’t being anything because writing isn’t exactly a two way conversational street. But I digress. The iPod kid just landed a hot chick on the patio. He makes it look so easy.

Uh-oh. iPod kids mom just walked up and sat down. I think the hot chick is his sister. What a let down.

I love the first looks people give, or don’t give. There’s the semi-cute but overweight guy who walks in, catches your eye and notices you averting your eyes and quickly acts like he wasn’t looking in the first place. It’s like with one look we just had an entire conversation about why we’d never work out in a dating relationship. Then there is the guy who is a total stud but clearly way too into himself. I think if he could make eye contact with himself right now, he’d definitely do it. He is clearly not at Starbucks to meet chicks. Go figure.

But wait, there is a semi-cute guy (as in, cuter than the overweight guy but not as cute as the total stud who makes eye contact with himself guy) who catches my eye just as, coincidentally, the self absorbed stud glances up and notices me making eye contact with someone else, and all of the sudden has this innate need to make eye contact with me, when ten minutes ago he flew right passed me. Isn’t it interesting how we’re not interested in something until we think it might be taken away? Yes, my friend, it is interesting. Interesting indeed.