A Man With No Shirt

A Man without a shirt 

 

Have you ever met someone who didn’t own a shirt. Someone who was trying to survive and couldn’t even own a shirt.  

 

Well, my path crossed someone who did not own a shirt. This is the story… 

 

I was in a town called Jaco, Costa Rica. I live a ten minute walk from the beach. Near the beach is an area called Jaco Walk, which is where I was headed. I have been painting a light pole near there.  

 

We were walking with the paints in our hand and a crowd of men came up to us as we were walking.  They started asking for money and for food. Our group continued, but Drew and I stayed back.  I told them I had nothing today, “no dinero, solo Jesus Christo” in my very rough Spanish.  While those men were talking to us, another man on a bike in the back  called for us. He grabbed our hand and told us he did not drink alcohol or do drugs, but was just a man who needed help. He was hungry. He looked Drew and I in the eye and told us to come back the next day.

 

Well the next day came, and I was sent off to the recycling center to do ministry. Drew on the other hand had to go in town and run some errands, and as he was in town he ran into this shirtless man again. This was definitely a divine intervention. I do not know the full conversation as I am not Drew.  But I do know Drew listened to his story, loved on him and invited him to stop by the next day at twelve. 

 

Later on that night, Drew explained to us this man had no shirt because he could not afford a shirt. We tried to find a shirt to give him, and ended up the next day deciding to take him to the thrift store.  

 

 At twelve the next day, he came and a group of us men went to the store with him. We bought him four really nice shirts and four shorts. As we were paying, he just started to cry. He walked outside and was praising God! He was so thankful! He had eyes full of tears and face wet from those that had fallen.

 

We ended up taking him out to get Pizza at the best place in town.  He told us how he can never afford pizza, but can only buy necessities such as rice and beans. How he had walked by this restaurant hundreds of times and could only dream about eating here. He began to cry again. 

 

He told us about how people walk right past him daily.  Nobody ever listens to him, nobody ever stops to help him. He told us a story of a time he was starving without any food, he went up to a man and asked for food, the man turned and called him all sorts of evil and horrible names and would not help him.  That man drove away in his $65-70k car, and only moments later, that cars engine burnt up down the road and he saw that same man crying about his car!!   

 

I just want to STOP right here and emphasize this… go back and reread the previous paragraph.  We live in a world where this is reality and the norm… a man had no sympathy for a starving man, but would weep about his own car.  

 

Yes the car was 70k, I would be sad as well…. but we can’t be people who just walk right past a man STARVING and not feel anything. If that is you.. you need a serious heart check.  

 

We can’t be putting material objects over human lives.  It just breaks my heart.  The stories of how people cuss him out on the street for being poor.  How people run him off the road with their fancy cars.  

 

I immediately think of one verse: 

 

““Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.””

  Mark  10:20-25

 

 

This was a man who had a rough life, a man who loved God.  A man who was working hard jobs and still not able to afford even a shirt!! This man was digging wells the day before. WITH A SHOVEL! This man who is constantly being offered drugs and alcohol, but would not cave in.  

 

This is a man, who I believe has found the real treasure.  A man who in his humble circumstances, can still praise and chooses to worship God.  A man who sitting with for lunch, told so many things he was grateful for.  Telling us how blessed he was. 

 

My eyes were opened today, how my heart has been hardened by the world.  I need to love as if every one is Jesus himself.  

 

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

Matthew 25:35-40

Update on me:

Tonight I was in town later than usual, I am offered cocaine daily, I am offered marijuana, I am offered all things far and wide. The hundreds of prostitutes call from these dark streets. People are full of drunkenness and rage. So many are just lost and don’t realize that what they are looking for is knocking at their door!!

My eyes are opened, the Lord is so satisfying to me, all the things of the world are fading away. God has showed me what the true treasure is… him.

Pray for me as I remain strong, as I stay focused and be Interruptible and led by the Spirit on all occasions. 

I am loving it here, making great relationships and trying to bring Kingdom! 

Thankyou