When did we see you Naked?

When did I see you Naked?

               This past summer, on our mission staycation, we looked at When did we see You naked, as those who are most vulnerable.  Who are those that need shelter?  And another resource I just found interprets the naked as those in poverty.  But as we look at this specific topic, we can think about the various agencies that are indeed, clothing people.  This past week on the moms of morris facebook page, there was a post that one of the local colleges is starting a clothing closet for professional clothing.  So, when college students, who are usually financially strained, have interviews, they can come to the clothing closet for interview clothing.  How we present ourselves, at least for interviews, can impact whether or not we are chosen for a job.  There are several other agencies out there with the same vision.  Dress for Success is probably the best known and I know my local YMCA collected for them last year.  When did we see you naked?  Well, we might not actually see people naked, but perhaps we can see the challenges people face when trying to take the next step to employment and can assist with an outfit that looks professional. 

            There are also numerous churches and agencies that provide clothing to people.  When I first started here, I thought Roxbury Social Services just provide food through their food pantry.  I had no idea they had clothes as well.  Our deacons were purchasing new sweatshirts for the clients of Faith Kitchen.  In Dover, there is a program out the Episcopal church called North Porch and they focus on providing diapers and baby clothing.  And Market Street Mission is one of the few places that really focuses on men’s clothing.  As the men graduate from their program, they will need professional clothing as well. 

But when did we see you naked can also include blankets.  This past summer, we started to make fleece blankets for the men at Market Street mission.  When they come in off the street, they often have just a few items and a fresh and clean blanket is a real gift.  Because the program can only handle so many men at a time, the first step in getting into the program involves sleeping on the floor in the main room.  A blanket can really help make sleep just a little more comfortable.  And what about bathing items, collecting soap and shampoo, razors, deodorant, toothbrushes and tooth paste, and towels.  There is always a need. 

And what about laundry?  There is a ministry called:  Laundry Love where congregations will actually sponsor an evening at a local laundry mat and pay for the clients to have their clothes cleaned.  And the last time I was at Triennium, I met a pastor with a ministry called:  Sacred Spark, that works directly with the homeless and one of their ministries is laundry.  She has the children’s programs all throughout the region collecting quarters so that they can do the laundry for those living in the homeless camps.  As much as we might complain about doing laundry, having clean clothes is important.  And maybe you are like me, I love the smell of fresh sheets on my bed.   I can’t imagine never having the ability to put fresh sheets on my bed. 

            So, what does responding to those who are lacking in sufficient clothing have to do with being the salt of the earth and letting our light shine?  Well, I see it saying two things.  The first is that when we let our light shine, or when we are the salt of the earth, we respond to the needs of others.  We listen and hear what is lacking or what will be most beneficial for someone to be self sufficient and we respond.  But I also see it as for the other.  God wants everyone’s light to shine.  It can be hard to shine with your full potential if you cannot afford clothes for a job interview.   When I started my first pastoral position in Charlotte, I invested in two good outfits for Sundays, but I could not afford to have designer clothes for the rest of the week.  I did what I could, but another pastor would comment on my clothes.  What do you think that did to the light within me that was trying to shine?    

            One of my favorite stories is of a young woman I got to know in Dover.  She would always wear oversized sweatshirts and would often pull the hood up over her head.  She started attending the church and after several months, her self confidence began to grow.  A few people paid attention to her.  One family let her come over and do laundry.  She began to shine.  She started to wear other types of clothes and no longer hid behind a hood.  You don’t put a light under a basket.  She might have been homeless, living on the fringes, but she is still a child of God with a light worthy of shining.  There are so many positive stories other there, from Dress to Success to Market Street Mission of people being able to take the next step in being self sufficient due to the generosity of others.