What are you passionate about?

This is a question I have been thinking about lately. I don't seem to realize what it is that I am truly passionate about until it is put to the test or questioned. A few weeks ago at work, I was speaking with my coworkers about the homeless situation in Seattle...particularly in the University District. One of the people I was speaking with refered to the homeless youth as "Ave rats", which drove me up the wall. Just didn't like the phrase or him refering to all the people on the streets as Ave Rats...and it is such a generalization.

The conversation consisted of me discussing all the reasons WHY people may be living on the street, such as physical, sexual abuse by a family member, mental health issues, substance abuse issues...and I just thought have these people ever actually TALKED to a homeless person?...they too are people and deserve to be treated as people, rather than clumped together merely as "rats". And they said that some homeless people are so agressive. I said well there is a reason for everything and our reactions and responses to things are a choice, but those choices are affected by our circumstances and situations.

One of the girls I was speaking with went on to say that she believed homeless people CHOOSE to be homeless and if they really want to get a job they could get a job, even if it is simply sweeping the floors at McDonalds. I had to refrain from screaming at her...and just thought ...truly what would Jesus do in this situation? I calmly responded...well I don't agree with that becuase even if they got a job at minimum wage they would still be struggling to get by (I mean read Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich). Also, can you imagine how difficult it would be to get a job if you are homeless?...what address do you use? Where do you wash not only your clothes...but also yourself?


Anyhow throughout the conversation...I found I was getting so worked up and frustrated and my blood pressure was rising..and rising...and rising some more and before I knew it my heart was beating soo very fast. Now is this something I am passionate about??...YES..YES..YES!!! I was completely playing devils advocate and realized in that moment I needed to stand up for this marginalized group. But it wasn't that I even NEEDED to..it was that I felt I HAD to...I WANTED to, therefore I did.

Of course in that conversation I referred to THE book, Under the Overpass, and just mentioned how it is soo sad to me that the Christian community represented in the book did not support the homeless community. I believe it is our duty as Christians to stand up for the marginalized people, to help them and to be knowledgeable about the situation with homeless people. It is important to realize that it may not be a CHOICE. I believe it is a social issue and not an individual issue.

So it was in this moment that I realized I really need to do something about my passion for this situation....because what am I really doing about it?? How am I living out my faith in this situation?