Puyallup City Council Study Session on Homelessness

Last night our local city council held a study session on the issue of homelessness in our community. Representative from the Pierce County Community Connections, the Tacoma Rescue Mission, and the Puyallup Homeless Coalition spoke.

For the last 6+ months I’ve been part of a strategic planning committee working on developing a citywide plan for addressing homelessness & affordable housing. I’m the faith community representative, and I’ve been amazed by the breadth of knowledge and experience in the field that other folks on the committee have brought to that discussion.

I was asked to offer comments as part of the citizen comment time after the presentations. I knew that there would be powerful stories from service providers, individuals who have experienced homelessness, and homeless advocates. What could I say in two minutes that would have any impact?

Here are my comments. My original piece was longer, but this had to be edited down in order to fit (almost) within that two minute limit.

I’m a preacher.
I’m not a social worker; a housing advocate; a politician; or a business owner.
I’m a preacher– I tell stories for a living.
Not just any stories—old stories.

As a preacher and follower of Jesus, I tell many stories about him.
To most folks, mine is not a particularly important profession.

Someone once asked Jesus about following him, and Jesus replied,
“Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
Jesus was, in today’s vernacular,
a “couch surfer,”
an encampment resident,
a person without shelter,
an itinerant preacher for the three years of his adult ministry.

When Jesus began his public ministry in his hometown, he read from Isaiah,
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives,
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

–not particularly good news for the rich, the powerful, and the politically connected–so much so that after finishing his sermon, the good people of Nazareth promptly chased him out of town and tried to throw him off a cliff.

Near the end of his ministry, when he had angered nearly everyone in power, a woman came to Jesus and in gratitude poured an expensive bottle of perfume on his head and feet. The money counters among Jesus’ followers grumbled, saying the money could have better been spent on the poor.

Jesus defended the woman, saying,
“For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.”

His response has been misunderstood ever since.
It has been abused as an excuse to do nothing in the face of poverty.

But if you listen to old stories, you would know that Jesus is quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures. From Deuteronomy, which describes the development of community practices among people whose ancestors had once lived in slavery. Focusing on economic issues, the ancient text describes how land, property, finances, politics, immigrants, and neighbors are to be treated.

The text Jesus quotes, begins,
“Since there will never cease to be someone in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.’”

–Jesus wasn’t offering us an excuse to do nothing, but an imperative to act compassionately toward those in need.

I tell old stories for a living.
My only hope is that someone listens.

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