I have been doing some heavy reading lately. I have been reading summaries of scientific studies, books to learn about cooking in traditional methods, and two autobiographies. I am not one to normally read so much non-fiction, so this has all stretched me quite a bit mentally. However, it has been a good exercise for me because all four books I have read recently have been excellent! One of the autobiographies I read is Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. This is an awesome book and I recommend it highly! I enjoyed this book for many reasons. First of all, it is set in Ft. Worth, Texas, so it is right in my home stomping grounds! I can picture many of the places mentioned in this book. But beyond that, this book challenges the very way I think about acting out my faith and how I think about the homeless population in my area. I am ashamed to admit it, but often when I see a homeless person on the side of the road, I am not moved to compassion. I do not often think, "I need to show Jesus to this person." It has happened before that my response was like this and I helped the person or prayed for them, but more often than not I wonder what they did to end up that way. I tend to assume the worst about their character and become fearful for my safety, even if I have no reason to suspect the person to be violent. Anyway, this book is the story of a homeless man, his life, and his encounter with a woman who had a passion for showing God's love to those less fortunate than her. While reading this book, I laughed out loud, shed real tears, and grieved for my lack of compassion. I hope that you'll read this one - it is an excellent book!
Friday, March 13, 2009
A Great Book
I have been doing some heavy reading lately. I have been reading summaries of scientific studies, books to learn about cooking in traditional methods, and two autobiographies. I am not one to normally read so much non-fiction, so this has all stretched me quite a bit mentally. However, it has been a good exercise for me because all four books I have read recently have been excellent! One of the autobiographies I read is Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. This is an awesome book and I recommend it highly! I enjoyed this book for many reasons. First of all, it is set in Ft. Worth, Texas, so it is right in my home stomping grounds! I can picture many of the places mentioned in this book. But beyond that, this book challenges the very way I think about acting out my faith and how I think about the homeless population in my area. I am ashamed to admit it, but often when I see a homeless person on the side of the road, I am not moved to compassion. I do not often think, "I need to show Jesus to this person." It has happened before that my response was like this and I helped the person or prayed for them, but more often than not I wonder what they did to end up that way. I tend to assume the worst about their character and become fearful for my safety, even if I have no reason to suspect the person to be violent. Anyway, this book is the story of a homeless man, his life, and his encounter with a woman who had a passion for showing God's love to those less fortunate than her. While reading this book, I laughed out loud, shed real tears, and grieved for my lack of compassion. I hope that you'll read this one - it is an excellent book!
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2 comments:
I know what you mean. I don't know what to think of the dude's asking for money on the side of the road. I often wonder about why on a Monday morning they're at the corner begging instead of with the job counselors. I can honestly say I never open the window for them because I generally have kids in the van with me and I won't risk their saftey for people I have no reason to trust. Meagan's husband once picked up a homeless man and took him to eat and then offered to drive him to wherever he needed to go. After they ate and Mike was driving him wherever, he told Mike that he had intended on robbing/harming Mike for his money and that he had a gun (Meagan, do I have the facts correct?). Yikes.
I know we are commanded in the Bible to take care of the poor, though. I don't know how to reconcile the children's welfare and the command to take care of the poor. Maybe deep inside, that's just an excuse I use because I'm too afraid or something.
Maybe I'll read the book. After I read Atlas Shrugged which Amazon just shipped today. Apparently they ran out of the book and so they had to wait for a new shipment before they could send it out.
That sounds like a wonderful book. I will have to pick it up. Jo, I see your point, because it is exactly the think I worry about.
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