James the Electrician

Meet James, he's an Electrician. Graduated from John Marshall, has an associates degree from J. Sarge, 4 years from electrical trade school, and worked at The Federal Reserve for 23 years as a Electrician.Left the Federal Res. b/c it was monotonous, worked as a free contactor, his mother became ill ah he quit his job to take care of her. She dies, James never goes back to work. He was married twice, no children, her parents and sister are all deceased now, he has no relationship with his brother-n-law, he feels he has no one, "I like it that way...I'm a loner." James will turn 55 on Oct 23, that is what he is waiting for, his pension. He begins to draw stipends on Nov. 23(so he says). I met James last Christmas, that's when I recall meeting him him. He barely spoke, wanted coffee, maybe a new shirt, few items of food for his backpack and nothing more, no conversation, when he did, he was vague. Today,6 months later, James has been sleeping near by for the last 35 days, hanging out all day at the FreeMarket while I work. He's painted, odd jobs at the church, helps the music minister & the church custodian. No pay, but all the coffee he can drink and a place to wash his clothes and get a little bit of food. If he's lucky, someone will give him money for cigarettes...that's what he loves...cigarettes and coffee. James asked me for money..I asked how much...$20.00, I said "one time"..he asked for more later on..I said "no"...He's asked for money from lots of folks, asked if he could work for money, the church said "no". James is Homeless...has been since I've known him, he says it's been like 6 weeks...not by my calculations. James doesn't look homeless. Whatever homeless looks like. Nevertheless he's homeless.The preacher wants him to go to a shelter..."I don't want to go to a shelter with crack heads and drug addicts"...he'd rather sleep on the street. I struck a deal with James, if we go look for scrap metal and recycle it, I'd give James 1/2 of the money. He needs to find it too...and help me when I find it. We've cleaned out the entire church together, he's worked so hard, we find trash, go recycle it, he gets half the cash. At least we have begun a relationship that involves a mutual understanding, I understand him, it's not what I'd want for me, but that is what God is teaching me, He is NOT me. I feel like God is teaching me, I'm no better, can I just love him for who he is? Can I? Do I have to try to change him to be more like me..because I live in a home? I'm trying not to...at the end of the day, I'm grateful, to have worked with James and hung out with him, to drop him off at his favorite sleeping spot, and to drive on home to my warm bed. I've invited James to spend the night..."No thanks...I don't want to intrude." We are waiting for Ken" to call, he has a lot of copper. God has amazing ways of humbling me. He's teaching me HIS ways, one person at a time.