Here is the story behind my tagline... I believe this is appropriate as it has to do with Oasis Hollywood and I will be speaking there tomorrow (this is actually my first time down there for a service in about six months... I am looking forward to it!).
About a year ago, I was working as the campus pastor in Hollywood. From time to time, we would be asked to help people with food and/or finances. Even though it is only about 10 miles from the Pembroke Pines campus, the needs are far greater on an individual level and many people have needs that so many of us take for granted. Well, at this time, I meet a girl (let's call her Wendy, I forget her name and would not use it anyway if I remembered) who stops by the church and asks for help. Her story is familiar, especially after being down there a few years...living in a hotel, needs some food and some money to stay in hotel, and she is expecting some money in a few days, and will give back to church when she gets it... how does everybody have the same story??
I offer her some canned goods and tell her that we don't give cash money as a policy and prepare myself to hear more of the story when she says, "I have a 8 month old baby boy." That gets my attention, so I make the decision that our church needs to do a little more. After wrapping up a few items after the service, I meet her a few blocks away in the lobby of the Beach motel and pay for a night for her and the baby with the church credit card. I was able to be part of meeting her need as well as meet the staff of the hotel... end of story, right?
A few days later, I get a call from "Wendy" at our office, asking if we could pay for one more night. She got my number off the front door of the church and her money (that she was waiting for) had not come in yet. Remembering that there is a kid involved, I agree to meet her at the hotel and bring some food over for her and the baby. As I meet her, I tell her about Jesus and His love and implore her to get the help she needs to fight her addictions and be the mom she needs to be. I paid for another night and she says "do you want to see my son?". Immediately, two thoughts come to mind. 1. She wants me to follow her to her hotel room. This is potentially a BAD situation!! However, 2. I can see for myself if there really is a kid or if she just made the story up.
My curiosity of the story won out. I made sure the hotel staff knew what I was doing, and since the hotel rooms were all exterior doors on an outside hallway, I felt safer and more accountable to the people who were watching and hanging out at the hotel. On the way to the room, "Wendy" introduces me to this guy sitting in the exterior doorway. He is about 60 years old, rail thin with white hair, and he is smokin a cigarette while sportin a "I Love Hot Moms!" t-shirt (instead of the word love, there is a picture of a heart!...Hey, this is Hollywood...you don't have to make this stuff up!!). I go to the room with the bag of food and indeed, there is a cute 8 month old boy that is being raised in a hotel with his mom who is trying to get things together. I say "good-bye" and "we'd love to have you at church to worship with you" and make my way toward the hotel exit. As I walk by the guy I just met, he gives me this advice...
"wake up and smell the roses!"
Here is old, skinny, cigarette teeth,Hot Mom t-shirt guy telling me to wise up to what was really going on! I enjoyed the irony of the situation for a few moments and tryed to engage him in conversation, but he was over it...as I walked away, I thought, "this guy doesn't get it". I knew I was being used, I knew our help would only last a few meals, I knew she would tell her story to others and try to get them to help however she could...and yet, I had to do what I could because the gospel is real...when I am needy, Christ doesn't pat me on the back, He meets my needs. When I was lost, He didn't "pray" for me, He came and rescued me. How can we do any less for others, when the gospel is all that He did for me? If what we do seems foolish to those outside of Christ, then may God help us be fools so that we may live for and honor Him!
So, from now on, let's "wake up and smell the roses" together!
* By the way, I love a hot mom too! I love you, Jeanine!
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