Churches of America WAKE UP! Run to help; don’t ask; just perform. Go beyond the call of duty. God is long-suffering, but we should be quick to action. 
God purposely allows situations to continue so there will be no excuse when we fail to act. I have seen this many times. We are the first to cry out for mercy when something goes wrong in our lives. One day God will turn a deaf ear to our cries if we have turned a deaf ear to others after seeing their need, especially if it is in our power to help. Proverbs 1:24-31 spells out our future when we fail to help. “Because I have called, and you refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But you have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear comes; when your fear comes as desolation, and your destruction comes as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: they would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them, but who ever listens to me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.”1
Churches must realize that individuals and families that find themselves homeless will understandably be anxious and hurting. They don’t need to receive judgment, correction, or persecution from the church. At a minimum the church should be a place to provide assistance and healing for all who are in need.
Our homeless situation was different from most others who find themselves homeless. We set out as missionaries; on a quest that we believed was entirely planned and orchestrated by the LORD. For us it was extremely difficult, but we had made a choice to obey God and walk away from our home out of obedience. Another important factor is that we anticipated and mentally prepared for this trip for over one year. We have no idea how a family such as ours, who finds themselves suddenly without a home, would feel if they embarked on a similar journey. We were looking for a door-but since we were technically homeless-we had the opportunity to recognize just how the church would view and treat a family such as ours. We also realize that when we made a decision to take this journey, we had been in a daily faith walk for 16 years. Most families would not have the same strength as we had developed in our faith.
We can plainly see how a family without much faith could easily fail through the process of rejection and humiliation before ever receiving anything from the hands of the church. When we see an opportunity to help someone, we should lean towards helping and not neglecting. It is easy if we inject ourselves into their situation and consider how we would like our family treated under the same conditions.