Lessons from The Tuesday Kitchen - Lesson 4

I know nothing about life.

We had seen Matt and Lucy before Christmas but they came into our church soup kitchen today in a poor way. Before long Matt was sobbing his heart out and Lucy joined in. He has serious mental health problems and they are both addicts, not only to heroin but also to the medication that is supposed to help them. They are tens of thousands in debt, have a flat which leaks water, a faulty electicity meter which over charges and they have been told that they will be evicted if they cannot find £1000 for a deposit. Every agency they turn to for help looks at them as if they are scum. They told us worse things but those are not for me to share. They have nothing going for them.

As so often with those who come to our soup kitchen we felt as if we could do very little. A hot meal and drink, some food to take away, making time for a chat. They left with small smiles on their faces, we were left with tears on ours. Their parting words - "Thank you. You have been so nice".

What do I know about their world? What can I understand? Who am I to offer anything? What true sacrifice have I ever made?

Throughout the bible, God deliberately calls his people to look after the poor. I am convinced that it not primarly because of the state poverty brings, but it is because we need to learn from them what it is to be human. As long as the church remains aloof from those it should be serving, then it will not be the force for good that God intended it to be.