The Guy

The Guy just had a heart attack. He's 24 years old. I thought this was way to young for a heart attack but heart disease, it seems, is also no respecter of persons. So now he's going for a battery of tests. The doctor wants him to change his diet - more fruit and vegetables, less meat, less salt and fat, etc., etc. There's an additional allowance for those on social assistance who require a special diet due to illness - like diabetes, for instance. The Guy's case worker informed him of this and then sent him back to his doctor to sign off on the forms. The doctor then refused. In the midst of the conversation I didn't think to ask why the doctor refused but, well, it doesn't really matter anyway.

I gave The Guy a box of groceries. As I was putting the box together I couldn't help but think about the amount of salt and fat in all the canned goods. I thought about what was really happening here, as I was giving a guy with a heart condition cans of ravioli and baked beans, canned soup, Kraft Dinner.

What the guy did tell me is that half his monthly income goes to rent. He'll be in better shape financially in a few weeks, when the roofing companies and landscaping firms are hiring again. Cause that's what a guy with a heart condition should be doing, you know - working on a roof or carrying sod.

Comments

[Michael]

A quick thought about the "Guy". We (you) can only do so much. We have to use caution about what and, how much we (you) do. For this "Guy" is a Child Of God and, therefore, it is God's call for sure. We Should lift our brother before the Mercy Seat Of God praying for God's will to be carried forward in the life of this "Guy". We do not need to even know his name. God knows his name and, also Yours.

LOVE LIKE HIM,
G.B.U.
Michael <>< <>< <><

[John Lunt]

Sorry, I'm going to get a little bit charismatic here.

I understand where you are coming from RWK. It doesn't seem right does it?

But, there is more we can do. We can get before God and ask him to heal "Guy."

I know that runs counter to a lot of theology, but it's scripture. I don't think I need to list all of the scriptures about healing or where Jesus or the Apostles (or others) healed.

We've got to re-capture the truth of scripture in this area.

This man is just as needy as many in China, India or other places that God has supernaturally healed.

We should believe for his healing as well.

[Andrewdewey]

As an Executive Director of a non-profit that deals with this same burden with just about everyone that finds or requests help from me, I also question the "rightness" of the story that you've shared. I understand the perspective of the previous two posts and agree, but also believe you must wrestle and step into "the guy's" journey. The tension felt in your post, is the right tension we should be living in. Questioning our response to hurt and injustice of it all and seeking the spirit in the right response.

To me, prayer and only prayer, is stopping short of the what I believe Jesus calls us to. If we as followers of Christ are called to be the hands and feet, bring heaven to earth, bring hope to the least and the lost, etc.. How do I interact with a human being, made in the image of Christ, that is faced with a life altering situation, not do everything I can to bring hope? Getting to know someone that is lost and in need of hope and at the end of the story, say it was great meeting you, I'll pray for you and walk on, doesn't sit well.

My encouragement says to walk on with this guy. Advocate in the name of Chirst on his behalf. Help find him a job, feeding him quality food, and by doing so he'll ask the questions..

For what it's worth and from my understanding of the Christ we all follow.

Blessings

[Kansas Bob]

Simply heartbreaking. Prayers for The Guy's health and well being.. and thanks for being there for him.

[vikki]

I won your book from another blogger several months ago. I loved it. Read it a few times. Read it out loud to my husband (only book he reads is the Bible).

My hubby supervises four 2nd stage homes for a local Christian organization. Awesome things are happening there, it's pretty amazing. The guys go to bible studies, most go to church and volunteer in the community.

Last week he gave your book to a guy we call Captain. He's hard-core this guy. Hubby has given him other books, cd's, sermons, etc and Captain growles at him and throws them out. Captain has been 'running' the home he lives in like a prison and hubby had called him on that.

Last night at 11pm, Captain called my hubby to thank him for your book. Said he was almost done reading it, and had underlined and highlighted a bunch of stuff they need to talk about. He said he had taken down all the signs he had posted all over the house (about 30 of them ..."COVER YOUR FOOD", "SHUT THE DAMN DOOR", "CLEAN UP YOUR MESS")

He said he really understood what hu7bby has been trying to explain to him about funneling his anger onto the other guys, etc.

Anyway, I just wanted you to know that your book has had an amazing impact on at least 3 people out here.

If we get ourselves a credit card, I'll order another copy!!

[nancy]

pretty soon we will go back to the days with no health insurance, like before world war two. health care will be unaffordable for almost everyone...which it is very close to that right now. we live in a fallen world where people can choose to belong to satan, greed, worldly power, and fear. and we all still suffer even though those that choose to belong to Jesus to God have been given the freedom from the power of sin over our eternal life, we still all suffer the death of our bodies and endure the sin of this world. we are not completely blind to the goodness of God nor the spiritual battle.

[[rhymes with kerouac]]

Michael - Yup. I agree. I used to just stop folks and say, 'can I pray for you' in these situations. In the last few days God has been convicting me of my need to make that a practice once again.

John - You don't have to apologize to me, brother! The longer I'm in this work the more I realize that the effects of poverty, mental illness and addictions are one thing, but the causes are another thing altogether. I suspect we need 'healing' (or justice? righteousness?) on a much broader scale. Certainly, the 'chruch' needs to be healed from its myopia - among other things - but our society has lost its ability to recognize a moral crises. I may be posting on healing this week. It's a story I haven't shared yet. I'm thinking...

Andrew - I'm only one guy.

Vikki - Thank you so much for telling me this. I had no idea such a thing was even possible. I'm in awe...

nancy - It sounds like you're going through a lot of 'stuff' right now. Feel free to send me an email if you want to talk.

[nancy]

i appreciate your offer of email. you are the first person in blogville that has made that offer and i am thankful for the lesson that it teaches me. and i might take you up on it sometime...also you are welcome to email me.

i have had an ache for a kind of fellowship or church or group that feels right, and i have spent time wondering if that in fact exists on earth.

i have been looking less and trying to fit in in one place after looking at only a few. and still i hear the ache of others in other places that are also looking.

and now i am beginning to see as you probably already have seen, that it is found in others and everywhere. it is not about finding people in a group...but finding the Lord everywhere.

it is about feeling alone because i am not giving the love of God and prayer and listing and taking time for God and others. it is looking for something to gain...when the gain is actually in the giving and being the Love of God.

it is about learning to ignore the need for security of having a person or group that would be there for me...and looking to be there for others as God makes that possible. seeing people the way God wants me to see them and seeing myself as His and as Him in me.

i am learning that God wants me to see Him as living and moving and being and breathing life into life. and if i pay attention...the search is over and the living has just begun.