I am a Christian and I believe that when something sticks in our mind or bothers us and we don’t seem to shift it from our conscience, it is because God is working something in us through that.

For example, I too felt very convicted about the homeless and about the fact that although I am a Christian, I was doing very little to help those less privileged than me. Jesus clearly asked his followers to look after the poor and yet many of us who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ walk by the homeless, just as you describe, glance at them and continue with our comfortable lives.

This happened to me too and the burden would not go away. I believe God was asking me to open that door on myself, as you put it, and in helping the homeless, see beyond myself and my circumstances and do something meaningful that can help others other than myself and my family. When we do this, we not only bless others but mostly ourselves.

We have recently started an initiative to collect food for the homeless in our community. Members of our church now donate food regularly and this gets given to the homeless. It is not much, but at least it is a start.

When God knocks on our door and we constantly get reminded about those who need us, He does not go away until we listen to his calling and do something about it. Why don’t you try, in your own personal way to do something which can bless that homeless person? It does not have to be anything big; a simple gesture of compassion that shows him/her that you care for them could make a huge difference to their miserable circumstances.

Who knows? In the economic climate we are living in, it could well be one of us that one day is lying down on the floor in the streets with not a penny to our names and we may well need a compassionate hearth to help us if that was to happen to us.

All the best,

ransom33 @ http://www.ransom33.wordpress.com