when drug dealers give more love than the preachers
who sit avoiding the scene sitting up in their bleachers
in their million dollar church with their million dollar people
spreading Christ’s love just keep it under our steeple

but the dealers know the homeless sometimes better than we do
cos they are the customers
of the hustlers who keep selling balloons
even then its a weird integration of friendship
i got your back taking black or smoking another hit
i love you and you’re my friend but i’m selling you death
bitter and sweet words coming through the same breath
still we watch out for each other as much as we can
you’re one of the few people that treats me just like i am
a man
a woman
a husband or wife
just like the church people, ‘cept on the bottom rung of life
though you can’t see past the frame of your car and my cardboard
let me tell you a couple things i know for sure about my Lord:

1.never ever ever put the Bible on the ground
cos its God’s Holy Word that transformed me lost to found
as long as i’m alive i want to share this with those who pass by
if you follow after Christ He’ll renew even this life

2.trust God and don’t trust the sailors or the tides
they ebb in and out but God always provides
even salvation and redemption for this sinful man
don’t know what’s gonna happen but I trust in God’s plan
so keep your head up, your feet straight, and your knees down
if you’re searching for redemption God can always be found

but others also say:
3.yes yes my life often seems hopeless
i survived vietnam now trying to survive homeless
but i can’t escape the guilt wherever i go
given orders to accidently blow a children’s hospital
the weight of this guilt, leukemia, and other lies
makes me suicidal or just waiting for me to die

o preacher
o preacher
where art thou now?
or where wouldst thou be
if thine holiness was dwelling with these?
wouldst thou imbibe or partake in thine drugs?
how wouldst thou deal with those who just shrug?
for thee
for thee
they won’t even see
though we’re Imago Dei just as plain as can be
our outside has changed so our insides don’t count
an implausible not impossible bridge to surmount

i try to always see the Cross first people second
know their name walk their shoes before i dare to even reckon
this person could try harder to get off these drugs
this person could really work more so much more than he does
or they are all liars so i better not trust ‘em
they all want my money so don’t even look at them
even in america of wealthy and middle class
and even lower than the lowest is the homeless out castes
untouchable
unlovable
except from those parachurch orgs
our church does other ministry so we just cawn’t afford
so let’s just leave the job to them please
i cannot be involved with even the least of these

what is Love?
is it not that Christ died for all?
not just the ones frequenting the shopping mall?

is it not, too, laying your life down for your friend?
or as Christ did for His enemies, us, on the Cross, so what then?

when we fall down before the Judge who forgave us
will we say with tears streaming down we gave the love that He gave us?