5 keys to being a good friend to someone experiencing homelessness by Travis Sharpe

If people who are homeless need anything, they need a friend. They, like all of us, need someone who they know genuinely cares for them.

homeless friends

A friend can bring hope. A friend can listen. A friend can make you laugh.

Friends can fill a void that things can never fill because friends are real.

I want to give you five keys to being a good friend to someone who is homeless.

1. Don’t  judge them. Yes, they may have shortcomings. They may even have open and “easy to see” sins that you know are holding them back.

But then again, so do we all! The difference may be that your sins are simply not as visible as theirs is. In any case, a true friend will love at all times.

I’m not saying that we ignore or overlook everything. What I am saying is that they will immediately perceive a false friend. Genuineness is hard to come by these days but it certainly goes a long way in the form of a friendship.

This previous post talks more about not judging.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions. While a true friend will not be judgmental, he will also not sit idle and watch his friend self destruct.

Did you know that we can talk to our friends about their struggles without being a jerk? We really can! Just treat them like we would want to be treated if we were in their shoes. You may not see an immediate change in behavior but the words of a friend seem to stick around while the words of other people fade in the noise of life.

The difference is the relationship.

3. Keep your promises. For goodness sakes, if you make a promise then you should keep it.

What may seem like a little promise to you, might be the world to them. And nothing kills trust in a relationship like broken promises.

4. Visit often. Friends like to see each other. They like it when you stop by. Friends like to just hang out together. One of the greatest things we can do for our friends who live on the streets is to visit them just for the sake of spending time with them.

When they figure out that you really care about them, they might just open up to you and begin looking to you for help and instruction.

5. Introduce them to your best friend. I believe the greatest thing that we can do for a friend is to share the good news of Jesus with them.

Don’t be afraid to share your faith. You might be surprised how much strength that others will draw from your friendship with God. You might also be surprised to know that you are possibly the only one telling them about Jesus. So don’t miss the chance!

Question: How have you been a friend to someone that was homeless? What would you add to this list?

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Kat Northern Lights Man via photopin cc