Net worth in God's eyes

When I first met Heinel 15 years ago I was afraid of him, kept my distance.

He was tough enough to sleep in the snow in the church parking lot. I remember asking Dave (aka the push-up king) what his name was. Dave said he didn’t know other than his street name was ‘Stinky’.

His name alone suggested he was used to being ridiculed and picked on, that his only safe space was to be alone.

More recently, his face grew on me. I assumed the best I could expect from our relationship was to give him a fiver every time I saw him, even though I knew he’d be buying something other than food with it.

But the repeated five dollar bill exchange gave me the liberty to eventually learn his name and for us to bump heads as a sign of affection every time we met.

I'd tell him to take care of himself and to know that he was loved, something I think he was able to internalize despite the hardships of his life.

When asked why I was willing to give him money that he’d use to support his drug habit, I didn’t have an answer other than it was the cost I was willing to pay to be in his life.

I really had no one in my life like him, and strangely enough I was always felt better for our encounters. As though the encounter for the 2 of us restored our shared humanity. More than enough to make Jesus laugh out loud.

I am going to miss him. The way he’d call my name from 3 blocks away as though his long lost brother, the way he’d smile when I’d tell him to take care and to not do anything that would jeopardize his health. And the way we would bless each other as we parted as though we really did live in the same world.

His net worth in God's eyes is enough to make Elon Musk jealous.