The Most, The First and The Found

A few day's ago I was challenged as to the validity of a common statement, particularly within the Rescue Mission community, regarding the homeless and impoverished. The statement is; 'The Least, Last and Lost. It's a statement intended to bring attention to the often overlooked of our society. I've used the statement many times over the years during talks, in our newsletters and in various publications - including this blog.

Interestingly enough however, at the same time I've contended for some time now that you and I have to stop thinking about people as adjectives. People are nouns. All nouns have something in common - a capital letter. That capital letter connects us to the importance of the word. When a person is thought of and treated as an adjective, it's demoralizing. None of us want that for ourselves and not for anyone else. No matter how easy it is to slip and refer to someone in the description of their life; homeless, drunk, gay, addict or poor, we have to diligently guard against it.

Words like least, last and lost are actually more than adjectives in this case because they, when used to describe the homeless and poor, are assumptive and negative - as I'm being challenged.

And so, allow me to change my thinking. Instead of the negative assumption, how about a positive hope - The Most, The First and The Found. Isaiah 61 says it best; "And these shall be the rebuilders ..."

Dan