Most of us have walked past someone sleeping in a doorway and not known what to do. We feel guilty, or nervous, or unsure whether to give money. So we look away. We have all done it.
Jesus knew what it was like to have no home.
Nowhere to lay his head
Jesus and his followers were walking from village to village. A man came up and said, "Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest." Wherever you go, I will go.
Jesus wanted him to know what that meant.
And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
Luke 9:58 · King James VersionThe original Greek
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Αἱ ἀλώπεκες φωλεοὺς ἔχουσιν καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνώσεις, ὁ δὲ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἔχει ποῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν κλίνῃ.
Found in Papyrus 75 (about AD 200), Codex Vaticanus (about AD 325), Codex Sinaiticus (about AD 350).
"Son of man" was the name Jesus often used for himself. He was saying that even foxes have a hole to sleep in, and birds have a nest. He did not have a place of his own.
While he taught, Jesus traveled and slept wherever someone would take him in. Luke also says a group of women who followed him paid for food and supplies out of their own money. He depended on kindness.
Ways to help
See them. Make eye contact. Say hello. Ask their name and remember it. Many homeless people say being ignored is one of the hardest parts.
Ask what would help. Do not assume. Sometimes it is food, sometimes socks, sometimes just a conversation.
Carry care bags. Water, granola bars, clean socks, a toothbrush, wipes and a bus pass are useful and easy to hand out.
Know your local shelters and food banks. In the United States, calling 211 connects people to local help.
Give to groups that help long term. Shelters, food banks and housing programs can do things one person cannot.
Volunteer. Serve a meal, help at a clothing drive, or mentor someone moving into housing.
Speak kindly about them. How we talk shapes how others treat them.
He knew what it was like
The next time you see someone without a home, you can remember that Jesus slept outside too, and depended on people who were kind to him. One kind word and a bottle of water are a good place to start.