We can Talk the Talk---but can we Walk the Walk!!!

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

I just finished reading a book titled: Under the Overpass---by Mike Yankoski. It’s a story of two upper-middle class young men who decided to leave their safe and comfortable existence and live life homeless on the streets of America. For five months the pair experienced firsthand the extreme pains of hunger, the constant danger of living on the streets, exhaustion, depression and social rejection---all by their own choice.

I believe that God was sending me a message through this book. The book itself puts a spotlight on the incredible hardships the homeless face every day. Issues like getting enough food, staying safe in a dangerous world, surviving the heat of summer and the cold of winter and being treated like dirt—just because they are homeless.

So you might be wondering what message could God be sending the SoupMan through this book? After all, for the last eight years I’ve devoted my life, my very being to caring for the homeless. Along with an army of friends, donors, supporters and prayer warriors we serve on the front lines in the war against hunger in the Dallas area. We give the homeless clothing, food, shelter and lots of love. The things that Mike talked about in his book were very familiar to me. Nonetheless, I believe God was sending me a powerful message with this book. HE was saying, ‘SoupMan, it’s time to up your game.’

One of the recurring themes in the book was how so called ‘Christian’ people went to church every Sunday and ‘Talked the Talk’ but did NOT ‘Walk the Walk.’ Mike & Sam made it a point to go to church every Sunday for the five months that they lived life homeless on the streets. At many of the churches they felt isolated because of how they looked, smelled and who people perceived them to be. At one church they asked the Pastor for food and he responded by saying, “That’s not what we do.” At another church a sign hung over the mahogany double doors that said in big red letters: ‘No Loitering--- Church Business Only—Police Enforced.’ Even worse Mike & Sam were treated like pond scum on the streets by some (not all) of these same so called men and women of God. I can’t believe Jesus is smiling about all of this.

The Bible says, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ Mike & Sam found out first hand that many people know those words but don’t practice them. Now some of you might be saying, ‘Hey SoupMan, you and your supporters certainly aren’t part of that crowd---after all you do so much for the homeless.’ True enough, we do a lot for the homeless but I believe God was telling me through this book that we are not doing enough. The Bible says that to “Whom much is given, much is required.”

God is telling us all to ‘up our game.’ Not just ‘Talk the Talk’ but ‘Walk the Walk.’ I put myself at the top of this list. I need to do more for the homeless. I need to do more for reaching out to the one’s Jesus called the least of these. I need to ‘up my game’ for Christ. As part of my commitment to ‘up my game’ I am redoubling my efforts to find a way to start SoupMobile Diner.

The Diner will NOT be a soupkitchen. It will be a regular restaurant that serves quality lunches to the business people and residents of the community. All the while it will be employing and training homeless men and women in the art of restaurant operations like cooking, customer service skills, restaurant management, food inventory management and cash handling. SoupMobile Diner will be a training ground for our homeless men and women to acquire skills and then move on as productive working members of the community. It will be giving a ‘Hand UP’, not a “Hand Out.’

In the last eight years the SoupMobile has done a lot for the homeless but we can’t sit on our laurels. We must do more for the Kingdom. Are you with me? Will you join me by ‘upping your own game.’ I need financial help starting SoupMobile Diner. I’m looking for a donor(s) with deep pockets and an even deeper heart for Christ. If that’s you, contact me directly at david@soupmobile.org or call me at 1-800-375-5022. Let’s ‘up our game’ together!

May the Lord Bless & Keep You All.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan