Bank Street's Blind Eye

On Friday, last week, the OIM Street Outreach team was on Bank Street. It was a hot day, and the Friday night team was unable to progress any further on their route than Bank Street due to the large number of street friends in need. While serving, the group was approached by a passer-by who notified the team that a woman was lying on the sidewalk and seemed to be unconscious. The team quickly moved to her location, awakened her, and helped her get back into her wheelchair, which was close by. An observer of the team’s actions expressed reverence towards the actions of the team, which was humbling for the team members.  

The woman explained to the team that she was in pain and was unable to get back into her wheelchair without help, but no one came to help her. Another street friend explained that the woman had been lying on the sidewalk most of the day… lying on the sidewalk most of the day, in the extreme heat, with no water and no help. Lying on the sidewalk most of the day on Bank Street, on a Friday. Bank Street on a Friday, which is populated by many pedestrians. It is unknown how many people walked by the woman lying on the street in the heat with her wheelchair nearby. But, it is known that they did. 

How much inhumanity does it take to walk by a woman lying on the street in the heat? What does a person have to do to ignore the need? What kind of thought process must go through a mind to justify walking by a woman who is unconscious on the street in the heat? 

In Romans chapter one, Paul wrote about the pedestrians on Bank Street last Friday. He said that those who have chosen to deny God neither glorify him as God nor give thanks to Him. They have been given over to a depraved mind so that they do what ought not to be done, so that they can walk by a woman lying on the street in the heat with her wheelchair close by. 

When I read the report of the Friday night team, I was stunned by the inhumanity. I felt sick at the thought of the woman’s suffering. While I confess to initially feeling anger over the inhumanity, I fearfully asked God, am I like one of those people on Bank Street on Friday night? And I cry out to God for forgiveness. Forgiveness for me, because I do not know what I would do. Forgiveness for the pedestrians on Friday, who knew what they were doing when they walked by the woman, but do not realize the cost of their inhumanity. 

How about you? Were you on Bank Street last Friday? Did you see the woman and walk by her without assisting her? Are you one of the people that Paul wrote about in Romans 1? In chapter 24 of the book of Matthew, Jesus was clear in His judgement – “Whatever you have not done for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have not done for me. Then they will go away to eternal punishment…” 

If you are like the people on Bank Street who walked by the woman lying on the street in the heat, or if you honestly can say that you do not know what you would do, repent. Ask God for His forgiveness. Turn to and follow Jesus, and He will save you from eternal punishment. If you do, you will be like the Friday night team; you will serve those who are the least of these. 

~Gerry, Executive Director