Chicago Unseen

There but before the grace of God go I.

Last week my wife and I went downtown.  We took the train from our suburban town and when we got off we were propelled into another world. It was a world of contrasts, rich and poor coexisting and in some cases seemingly unaware of the existence of the other.  

Mary and I walked from the train station to the restaurant that was the first port of call for the day and both within and outside of the train station were homeless people, all with a cup with perhaps a few cents in it begging for a little spare change. 

Despair

It was like this on almost every corner.  I don't remember such poverty appearing on the street when I was young. I don't remember the downtown area being such a testament to poverty and want.  You would sometimes see a panhandler downtown but not too often.  Last Saturday I observed people that were carrying all of their worlds possessions in a blanket and shopping carts. 

All That I Have

These are scenes that I would expect to see in the third world and not in Chicago, a city in the richest country in the world.  There is something wrong.  I just can't get the scenes I observed last week out of my head.

A human being is created in the likeness of God.  Not just some of us, all of us.  What has gone wrong?  Have we become blind to the needs of others.  The poor (Jesus said) you will always have with you, but I don't think he meant we should tolerate it.

The invisibility of these people comes from the fact that there are so many.  A person walking on the street from the train station to the restaurant cannot help everybody they meet so these people become invisible, their voices interpreted as just more city background noise to be ignored. 

I don't know what the point of this entry is other than to see my brain is still processing the data.  But the Bible is not silent on this subject at all:  (James 5: 1-15)

Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending
miseries. 2 Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become
moth-eaten, 3 your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire. You have stored up treasure for the last days.
4 Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who
harvested your fields are crying aloud, and the cries of the 
harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
5 You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you
have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter.
6 You have condemned; you have murdered the righteous 
one; he offers you no resistance.