On Monday, I heard the beep of the intercom on my phone.  I was expecting the standard, “John Doe is here to see you” or “You have a call on line 1.”  Instead, the message was totally unexpected, “Hey, Pastor Jack.  Holly says there’s a man in our dumpster.  Can you check it out?”

Holly was right.  There is a man in our recycling dumpster.  I banged on the side and said, “Hello!” and I heard a muffled “Hello” in return.  I opened it up to find a young man sitting on cardboard and newspapers eating a bologna sandwich and drinking a Dr. Pepper.

His story was simple, and he doesn’t know what to do or where to turn.  He’s 20 years old and he had a blowup with his mom, who kicked him out.  He got mad and got into trouble and he now has a court date in a month as well.  He bought a sandwich and a soda, saw the dumpster, and hopped in as a place to be alone and to think.  He has now been there–off and on–for about 48 hours.  I go out to him and talk to him and see what he needs.  I talk to him about God’s love and tell him I can find him a better place to live and that we can get him some help.  He listens respectfully, declines help, and says he is working on a plan.

I was thinking about him while I was writing a newsletter article about “Getting Lost In The Crowd.”  It’s easy in today’s society–and even in today’s churches–to be part of the crowd but still be lonely.  Jesus excelled at loving the crowds who came to him because He loved the individuals.  Hurting people.  Sick people.  Lonely people.  Grieving people.

If we’re going to be like Jesus, we’re going to have to do the same.  I will start by loving a young man in trouble names Tommy, living temporarily in a church’s recycling dumpster.