How do I respond to the brokenness?

I live in the city…

I pass people that are homeless everyday. I overhear conversations about addiction. I pass people on the street that look a little scary to me and sometimes act a little scary. I hear about the sex slave industry that’s taking place at the mall up the road from my house. Humanity is definitely broken.

How do I respond to these things? How is being exposed to these things shaping me? Here’s what I’m learning after two months.

• I must guard against ever being hardened to the reality of how broken humanity is…because then I’ve forgotten how great my Savior is.
• Caring for people means I throw my Getting Things Done mentality out the window.
• I’m thankful to raise a kid in this environment. The conversations we’ve had already are gold.
• My conversation with my neighbor might not mean much to the city, but it might mean a lot to my neighbor.

After two months in the city, I can already see the Lord at work in my heart. There is adventure outside my door everyday. All I have to do is step into it.

Reminds me of this poem I heard at Catalyst this spring. Check it out.

1. Is there a hole in your Gospel?
2. “Seek the Shalom” (Cowtown to Urban Hipster #3)