An Unlikely Gift [Dan Hunt, Urban Homeworks staff]

On a daily basis I have the opportunity to measure my effectiveness and my capacity to serve our families in rental housing. I have stumbled onto a golden egg-a tool to measure whether or not I will be good at my job each day. This tool is in a form that you might not expect. It occurred to me one day as I was driving from one end of town to the other. I pulled up to a red light on Washington and Broadway in North Minneapolis and as I sat there waiting for the light to turn green, and as I looked just over to my left, there on the median was a gift from God. This gift was bearded and there were deep creases on his cheeks and forehead. His clothes were adequate, but not quite sufficient to keep out the chill. Behind the man was his bike and he was pulling a burley outfitted to carry pieces of discarded aluminum, steel, and copper. In his weathered hands he held a hand-made sign and although I don’t remember exactly what it said, to me it read, “Will you love me today?”

It was in that moment that I made a connection between my feelings for this man who I don’t know, and the families I am called to serve in this ministry. I have come to learn that if my first reaction to this man and his plea for help is one of compassion and love, then my heart is prepared for showing that same love and compassion to our families in rental housing. If my heart instead is filled with judgments, then I know I not prepared to give our families my best.