His Name Was Charlie
“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?” Matthew 25:37, NASB
You can see a lot of things in the city of Jerusalem when the sun goes down. Especially around Zion Square on the corner of Jaffa Street and Ben Yehuda. When the day people go home, the night ones come out.
Waking up at 3:30 am has become somewhat of a routine for me. Sure, I get 5-6 hours of sleep nightly, and then throughout the day I call on the Name of the Lord for strength and endurance. So, when I continue that trend here in Jerusalem, He has His Holy Spirit lead me to ones I would never see in the daylight. For they are ones who like the nightlife.
As I sat on the wooden bench, listening to young “Mary”, with no socks on in the cool 58F temperature (cold for me, even with t-shirt, sweater and my new Iowa Hawkeyes hoodie on) sing along out loud to some song on her phone, Charlie walked up to me.
“Grocery store” as he pointed up Ben Yehuda Street. I immediately knew what he meant. The “24/6” corner market was open. He wanted, most likely needed, some food.
So, with his three garbage bags of his life belongings over his shoulder, I walked with him four blocks uphill to the store. A few minutes later, as I watched him carefully, he chose items from the shelves, including lunch meat, potato chips, two plastic cups of yogurt, and some bottled tea. He didn’t want the apple I tried giving him.
Then he laid the selections on the checkout counter, and I paid the $9.54 (with my US credit card in shekels before conversion). Then I left him, to walk back down the street to hear “Mary” singing louder.
Would I have done that in Charlotte, North Carolina? Maybe not. I would have just given the street man a dollar bill or so. But here, it seems different.
This is where Yeshua (Jesus) did what He now asks us to do. Follow in His footsteps. I am seeking to do so. Literally. Feed the poor, pray for the sick. Do it all in the Name of the Lord, who came to bring life to all.
“If there is a poor person among you, one of your brothers, in any of your towns in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother;” Deut. 15:7, NASB
When He speaks to your spirit, hear and obey. You will walk in adventure and give life to others too.
Ahava (love) and Shalom (peace),
Steve Martin
P.S. Laurie and I arrived in Jerusalem, Israel on Oct. 16, 2025, for three months. We will be serving with Christian Friends of Israel, entering their 41st year in Jerusalem walking among the Jews and more. We too will walk in faith and believe in the Lord to show Himself strong on our behalf. You can read further here: The Martins in Jerusalem
We welcome your prayers and support as we together bless Israel and His people in their Land. Contributions are welcome online on our webpage. Look for the little DONATE button on the right-side column. DONATE HERE.
Love For His People Ministry P.O. Box 1113 Pineville, North Carolina 28134 USA Message #1 in my Jerusalem 2025 series: “His Name Was Charlie" – Oct. 19, 2025 | 
