If a Thing is Worth Doing, It is Worth Doing Badly

I was back under the Overpass yesterday. I really missed not being there last week. It was good to get out of the car yesterday and see familiar faces waiting for us. And, I am happy to report, that I remembered many of the men’s names. So thanks if you prayed for me on that. Keep praying please.

I had the opportunity to speak with many of the men yesterday. Although, I always have that opportunity when I’m down there, yesterday felt a little different. I talked to them in a way that was almost like we had become friends. Like, we just didn’t talk about the weather or the bugs; but, I learned about their families and how they spend their days, and what they enjoy doing. Things that friends talk about. I don’t want to paint some sort of rose colored image of our relationship or what I experience when I’m down there. There are reasons people are on the street. Bad reasons. Don’t ever forget that. BUT, these men are still people. They are people that want to matter. They want security. They want to be warm. They want to be cool. They want a change of underwear. They want what everybody wants. And, God loves them and they need to know that.

Yesterday as I was talking to them, I was remembering my blog and how I talk about them. I felt a little guilty. These are real people in my city and I’m talking about them behind their backs or at least that is how I was feeling about it yesterday. If these men are going to trust me by telling me about themselves I don’t want to betray them in any sort of way. But, I want you to know about them because I want them to matter to you. I want you to know they are people, good people, people who struggle, real people who really should matter to us because they matter to Christ. I want them to matter to me too. I don’t want to forget about them when I’m inside, away from them and comfortable.

You know, the odds are against these men... Even the men who have been helped into a recovery program. It’s a tough world. People struggle, people stumble. We make mistakes. I found out that one of the men who had gone into recovery left the program last week. He stumbled. It breaks my heart. It was a brave thing he did just to go into the program. Pray for him. He knows he messed up. Pray that he will not feel that he failed but instead understand that he made a mistake. Pray that he will learn and grow from the mistake and try again.

Chesterton said, "if a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly.” That doesn’t mean we have an excuse to put forth a poor effort. But these men are facing such a huge challenge that mistakes are going to happen but it is still a very worthy thing they are doing. Don’t over judge them. They may not get it perfect the first time.

We had another man ask about going into recovery yesterday. JM is going to be talking to him about that and see if he is serious and ready. Pray for both of them. Change is hard and scary. It’s a brave thing these men want to do.