Arguing with a homeless man...

This morning I got into an argument with a homeless man.  He decided that he is the Arch Angel Gabriel and was sent to tell me about the end of times.  He also added that the right wing Christian people are hypocrites and will be judged.  He also told me all ways to God are the same including Buddha, and that I didn’t know who Jesus was myself, but he did.
 
The sad part of all this is that this man has actually come to our church before, and although still strange, he was never this out of it.  How did he get this way?  And what could we have done to help him?

This morning I did something I normally don’t do and sat down and tried to reason with him.  I normally don’t like conflict or getting into arguments, but my heart broke for him and for the smell and look of his homelessness and all he was wearing.  My heart broke at his rage and anger toward me and toward Christians when he didn’t even know me and I realized how far from the peace and the love of my Savior he actually was.

Lord my prayer is this: please break my heart more – help me to have the passion and the desire and the sorrow that You have for a lost and hurting and broken world.  Please don’t let me stay in a quiet comfortable safe mental world.  Lord, drive me out by the pain and the brokenness that drove you into our world.  Your love never stops searching for us.  Lord let that love be alive in me today.  Please rescue this man.  Rescue me.  That is my prayer today.  Amen