Everyone Needs a Home

As we walked through the woods of the Pottstown area, looking to see if we'd find the homeless, I couldn't help but think.... everyone needs a home.

In Philadelphia, we found them throughout the subway station. It was at least six years ago on a very cold February Sunday. We had decided to take homemade soup to those living on the streets. We looked and looked for a while, before we finally found that they were inside the train station, trying to stay warm, obviously.

It's such a controversial issue... homelessness. And we wonder why are they out there? What happened? Drug abuse? Criminal activity? Insanity? Loss of jobs? Loss of homes? Loss of hope?

Why would anyone want to live in nothing more than a tent surrounded by trees? No food, no bathroom, no real bed. We found that some tents are pretty run down and dirty, while others do their best at keeping theirs clean and approachable.

And as much as they try to make the best of it, they are still living in unfit conditions. Furthermore, I believe that those who inhabit those encampments, realize that they're not truly home. It's like they are in a temporary state of transition... some transitions longer than others.

I know that everyone needs a home. A place where they belong. Where we are loved and accepted, that is. We all long for it.

And so being homeless means you are without that . It means that you don't belong and that you are unloved and unaccepted. It also means that you have not arrived... home.

And as foreign as this entire topic may seem to us all, we are not that unfamiliar with at all. In fact, as Christians we are much like the homeless. You see, we too are out of place here on this thing called earth. We too, are living in unfit conditions, although many of us do not even realize it. We make the most of it, this place called earth. And some live much more comfortably than others. Yet, we are not home. Not yet.

And this place is but a stepping stone to our true home. Eternal home in heaven. With our heavenly Father and family. With loved ones... forever. No sin. No worries. No pain or suffering. No illness. No sorrow. Just joy in God for always.

Heaven is our true home. And everyone needs that home.