The good, the bad and the better...

Friday night I went out with some friends to hear a local cellist, Ben Sollee, break it down funky-style at Jennica's Cafe and Wine Bar. The ambience and locale were totally romantic and the music was, to use a friend's favorite word, "amazing." Good times.

Upon leaving, a few of us were hanging on the street corner waiting for some of our party to finish chatting with friends. A man walked up to us and greeted us with these words: "I'm homeless. And I ain't gonna lie. I'm an alcoholic. But I'm hungry. If you give me money, I'm gonna go get somethin' to eat. But I'm an alcoholic." He proceeded to give us a few more details about where he sleeps, etc. and, as one of the guys handed him a few bucks, asked us to pray for him as he prepared to take his leave. We offered to pray for him right there. He looked somewhat hesitant and admitted that he'd been drinking. We told him that didn't matter, gathered around him, and prayed.

We spent the next 20 minutes or so with Julius. He told us that he's orginally from NC. That he and his wife, who's in Indianapolis, are getting a divorce but that she'd asked him to come back home and he couldn't go back because he wasn't ready. He told us, with tears in his eyes, what a wonderful woman his wife is (like Rebekah in the Bible, he said), how she helps run a food pantry and can buy $300 worth of groceries for $60-70 for the pantry by using coupons. He told us about his grandmother and how she never left his grandfather inspite of his alcoholism and mistreatment of her and how, after years of his grandmother's faithful prayers, in the last 12 years of his life his grandfather became a man of God. He said she is now telling him that he needs to get his life together and praying for him. He told us about his little girl and how he wants to be with his family but he just can't give up his drinking. He said he's a Jonah.

And he told us that he didn't know what it was about us, but he just didn't want to leave. He said he keeps meeting people who are talking about Jesus. We suggested that perhaps Jesus was trying to tell him something. And, in a statement of honesty that has stuck with me, he said, "I don't want to leave. I'm scared to leave, because I know I'm just going to go do what I don't want to do." Then, after a few more minutes, he gave us a group hug and reluctantly walked off. Hopefully to get something to eat. I wish we could have done more.

I'm not a compassionate person---well, only in my rare good moments. But my heart went out to Julius. Given, I can be a sucker, but he seemed like a good-hearted man. In love with his sin and running from what he knew to be good and true. How often have I been there? I, too, find myself walking in Jonah's shoes far too often.

Meeting Julius made me grateful. Grateful for the community that God adopts us into---a family of brothers and sisters who love with bold love. Who are there when we know that, if left to our own devices, we'll just go off and do something bad again. We need each other. I need others. Julius needs others. And, right now, he doesn't feel like he has anyone. I can't imagine what that must feel like. Even when I don't WANT community, I have it.

Pray for Julius. Pray that his life will be preserved and that he will find true freedom. Pray for Rebecca, and for their little girl. Pray that this family will be restored. Pray for me. That I will love this city well.