Recently several of the ministers in the Graffiti Network have been thinking critically about how to minister effectively to individuals with addictions, specifically heroin addiction. I’m still learning, but here’s the strategy I’ve come to embrace:
Meet the need first
Build Relationships
Trust God to transform lives
This strategy has been shaped by firsthand experiences on the streets of the Bronx. This is the fourth of four blog entries sharing those stories.
BE S.M.A.R.T.
A few weeks ago, I encountered a man named Ricky standing outside the bank asking for money. He wasn’t a stranger to me. Our ministry team in the South Bronx has known him for several years. We have helped him with clothes, food, and have often encouraged him to take next steps towards life transformation. One time he showed up at the church knock-down drunk and we took him to a detox clinic. He stayed there for four days, but never made the transition to rehab.
As I walked out the door of the bank that day, Ricky noticed me, and said, “Hey! Can you take a couple of minutes for me to ask you a couple of questions?”
Knowing what he was going to ask, and also knowing I was running late to visit another man who was in a rehab clinic, I replied, “Not right now Ricky, but if you want to come to the church on Sunday or Monday we can talk.”
I hustled on to my car leaving him at the door.
My colleague was in the car waiting for me and as we drove away, I thought about the Parable of the Good Samaritan. In our Upside Down Training we use Jesus’s familiar story about being a good neighbor to teach people how to respond to people in need. Often the priest and the Levite are the anti-heroes of that story, rightfully so. After all, Jesus points us to the Samaritan as the good person.
However, in the moments after I left the bank, I wondered and said to my colleague,
“Maybe they weren’t so bad after all. Maybe they had encountered that man on the road dozens of times and he kept getting into the same situation again and again. Maybe the priest and Levite were on their way to visit someone else who had been jumped who was already at the inn.”
When we are surrounded by need and barraged with requests, it is easy to become cynical and calloused. Living in NYC, only occasionally a day goes by where someone doesn’t ask for money. The familiar phrase “Can I get a buck?” is sometimes followed with a reason, sometimes it’s not. “I’m hungry and want something to eat . . . My car is broken down and I need help repairing it . . . I’ve got a baby and I need to buy diapers.”
I sometimes can’t help the thought, “Is it really money for diapers?”
Many people’s inaction when encountering people in need has been influenced by the book, When Helping Hurts. However, I’m not convinced everyone who quotes the book has read the book. A mentor of mine has often said, “Sometimes not helping hurts more!”
What should the Christian response be when encountering people in need?
A mentor of mine who has worked as a social worker and pastor in the NYC for decades has helped me learn what to do. The story of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10 is a guide. Through this parable, Jesus teaches us to be S.M.A.R.T.
SEE WITH COMPASSION
In the story, Jesus says the Samaritan saw the man and felt pity on him. He was willing to sacrifice his schedule and took time to stop. He didn’t walk by. I also noticed he didn’t jump to conclusions. Jesus corrected the disciples from making faulty assumptions when they encountered the blind man in John 9. They assumed he was blind because of sin. Jesus said, “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him” (John 9:3). If I assume I know a person’s story, then I might be missing an opportunity to see the power of God!
As I walk around the city, I am learning to pray as I walk. When I do pray, I don’t miss seeing people. I don’t stop for everyone, but when I feel I should, I do. I’ve learned to ask a simple, compassionate question. I say, “My name is Andrew. What’s your name?”
MEET THE NEED FIRST
The first thing the Samaritan did was bandage the man’s wounds. The principle of Meeting the Need First was discussed in the first blog entry in this series (hyperlink). This is a critical first step, after all, you can’t share the gospel with someone if they’re dead.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs helps me think about what needs I can meet.
I often start at the bottom of the pyramid and work my way up. I can’t meet all of a person’s needs because of both time and money. But some needs don’t require much time and others require no money. Sometimes a person just needs to talk.
It helps to have some rules for working with people in need. Upside Down Devotion by Taylor Field has a list of rules for working with other that has helped me immensely. Those rules can be found on pages 8-10 of the Upside Down ebook by clicking here.
ASK FOR HELP
The Samaritan didn’t do all the work himself. He enlisted help. In this case, it was help from a donkey to get the man to an inn. When helping others, a single person can only do so much. We need the help of others. There’s power in a group, especially the church. After all, it is the body of Christ.
When a person works alone, there’s the danger of developing co-dependent behavior. Sometimes a person can position himself or herself as a savior. When this happens, the “savior” quickly becomes the persecutor.
As Christians, we must not forget our greatest help, God himself. I’ve learned to ask a simple but powerful question when encountering someone in need.
I ask, “How can I pray for you?”
Then, right there, wherever I am, I pray WITH that person. I ask God for help.
REFER TO OTHERS
The Samaritan took the man to an inn. He left him there with the innkeeper. The innkeeper had resources beyond the Samaritan’s.
When a person is ready to take next steps towards life transformation, it is helpful to access other resources. At our ministry center we have developed a manual of organizations who have services we don’t provide. These include legal services, detox, rehab, housing assistance, and immigration help.
As we make referrals, we have learned we can be helpful in several ways:
We can help a person get their birth certificate, social security card, and state ID. We can keep them safe in a file.
We can store belongings for a person if they don’t have a secure space.
We can be an advocate for a person. We document and retain records of conversations with agencies and organizations.
Encounters with many agencies and organizations can feel dehumanizing. It’s helpful to remember, the bigger the city, the more personal we need to become.
TOMORROW FOLLOW UP
The Samaritan left the innkeeper with money and then told him, “Take care of him. When I come back I’ll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.”
The Samaritan planned to come back.
Other blog entries in this series have emphasized this important last step. We’ve seen the importance of “sticking with people on their journeys” and “if we want to see things change, wait around long enough.”
One of our Upside Down Principles is “Be light, not lightning.” Lightning gets a lot of attention, making a big flash and loud sound. Often, it’s hurtful and causes damage. On the other hand, a city streetlight sometimes goes unnoticed, but it remains. For years upon years, it lights the path for people who are walking in the dark.
As Christians, we sometimes are known more by what we say than what we do, what we are against than what we are for.
One of our Upside Down Principles reminds us:
Sometimes people can’t hear the gospel until they see the gospel.
Yes, we need to share the gospel with words, but we mustn’t forget to show the gospel with deeds.
Lord, help us to. . .
Meet the Need First
Build Relationships
Trust You to Transform Lives.