It’s not easy to “beat the street.” The road to a better life is full of obstacles and setbacks. I know dozens of people who have succeeded in moving out of the homeless life. They faced the same setbacks as others, but they never gave up. Lots of people throw up their hands and say, “What’s the use?” but the ones who make it keep pushing forward. When they get knocked down they pull themselves back up, scraping and clawing for any advantage they can find.
Denise and Lavelle pursued every avenue they could to find affordable housing. They left no stone unturned. It reminded me of Jesus’ parable of the persistent widow who pestered the judge until she got her justice. Bob (homeless for 30+ years) worked for a landscape company that paid cash under the table. The first week his boss didn’t pay him, he left. For the next month, he wore out a pair of shoes walking the streets, looking for a job. Finally, he landed a good job as a plumber’s helper for a big contractor. He still holds that job 14 years later and is still off the street.
After reflecting on the conversations I had with these friends who have overcome homelessness, I concluded that three changes happened in their lives and in the way they saw themselves.
- Somebody believed in them.
- They believed in themselves and saw themselves worthy of a better life.
- They had something bigger than themselves to live for.
Somebody Believed in Them
People trapped in poverty too often believe they can never make it. When they reach deep inside themselves for strength and determination, it’s not there. They need someone outside of their peer group to look them in the eye and say, “I know you can make it.” Here is where I have seen young people shine in their ministry with the poor. For Bob, it was Esther. For David it was a group of girls who he came to see as his little sisters. In my experience, this is the foundation for a new life. It can still take years, but we can plant that seed of hope.
They Believed in Themselves
It’s sad and frustrating to see someone so close to making it off the street they can touch it, only to push their self-destruct buttons and fall back into homelessness. Rob, who was just two weeks from a new job and a new life, succumbed to the temptation to revert back to drugs. A few weeks later he told me this: “I gotta start seeing myself the way you all see me. I’m a good guy. I deserve better. I guess I just haven’t believed that yet.” At some point, homeless people need to “own” the words of encouragement they get from others. Once they believe that they are worthy of success, they have taken a huge step toward a better life.
They Had Something Bigger than Themselves to Live For
It’s important to have a compelling reason to push through the disappointments and setbacks the homeless experience as they work to beat the street. That “something bigger” can be a significant other, children, or grandchildren. But for most of the homeless people I know who have made it, that something bigger was Jesus. When Jesus defined His own ministry with the poor, it was to preach the Good News. We should take every opportunity to follow His example and introduce people to the One who can pull them through those times of discouragement and disappointment.
Building on the Foundation
Once the foundation of these three essentials is in place, we can build on it to overcome the other obstacles poor and homeless people face: lack of education, life skills, interpersonal skills, job skills and work ethic, as well as entitlement mentality and addictions. But that’s a topic for another day.