A Bottle of Water on Maury Street

A Bottle of Water on Maury Street

Do not withhold good from those who deserve it,

when it is in your power to act.

Do not say to your neighbor,

“Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow –

when you now have it with you.

Proverbs 3:27-28

My daughter and son-in-law live in a neighborhood in close proximity to downtown.  The route she takes to work each day runs through an older, industrialized section of the city that houses several rundown or empty buildings, and a homeless camp. 

She usually calls me on her way home from work, to talk about her day and de-stress from trying to teach mathematics to teenagers.  I keep track of her progress by the noises that emanate from outside her vehicle.  I always know when she reaches Maury Street. She tells me to hold on a minute, rolls down the window, then offers a bottle of water to one of the homeless individuals on the street.  She carries extra water in her car specifically for this purpose.  The homeless camps come and go, but if there is someone there who might need a cool drink, she wants to meet that need.

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Make me a servant, humble and meek.

Lord, let me lift up those who are weak.

And may the prayer of my heart always be:

Make me a servant; make me a servant;

Make me a servant today.

The Faith We Sing, No. 2176