Who’s buying the drinks?

  Late one night a few weeks ago, a tragic event occurred behind our New Life Center and a human life was lost.  Just a few hours earlier the victim was seen near the front of the Lighthouse Mission……so close yet so far.

  There are many details of this sad scenario unknown to all of us; I do know that a young, homeless man was killed and he was involved with alcohol that evening.  I have seen this situation play out over one-hundred times now in my nineteen years at a rescue mission.  High-risk lifestyles plus mood altering substances equal eventual tragedy.

  Lots of questions are asked after times like these and blame is often affixed.  I believe that the wrong questions are usually addressed, individual responsibility is ignored and ultimately nothing changes.  This cycle plays out everyday nationally.

  I have a question…….who bought our penniless friend his last drink?  So often we think that we are showing compassion by giving the chronically homeless or panhandler money or items they, in turn, sell for money.  Being homeless should not be easy or subsidized.  The Gospel of Luke says it is the person who gets “sick and tired of being sick and tired” who “comes to himself” and says, “'I will arise and go to my father…..”  It is crisis – a crime, an accident, a health problem, a toothache, being homeless - that “raises the bottom” they need to hit and usually forces someone to ask for help and start the process of change.  Reality is the best thing I have seen for breaking through an addict’s denial.