WE HAVE TO DO BETTER

My four-year old's (almost five!!!) favorite verse is Matthew 22:39 "The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' He quotes it all the time. That probably has a lot less to do with my awesome parenting and a lot more to do with the fact that it is one of our house rules and he hears it all the time.

In the 22nd chapter of Matthew Jesus has been asked what the greatest commandment is. He responds with "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'Matthew 22:37. Notice how verse 39 begins, "The second is like it. . .". Some translations actually read "as important as this is. . .". Jesus is saying here that is is just as important to love our neighbors. That is BIG folks!!! Who is your neighbor? EVERYONE!!! Wow, you mean I have to love everyone? Yep!

Fellow Christians we are failing big time here. Loving involves some action. Yes we can pray for others and quietly donate our money to charities that love on others, but the responsibility doesn't stop there. Not if you are able bodied. We need to be out there loving on each other and showing Christ's love to others. It doesn't have to be huge acts of kindness or costly things. Just love one another.

Just today I was leaving Target. I was in a hurry. I had picked up some eggs and I needed to get them home and in the fridge before heading to my next client. I am a speech therapist and I do home visits. As I was leaving the parking lot I see a woman loading her kids in the car as her cart sits up on the sidewalk. A gust of wind pushes her cart off the curb and it topples. She had two of those giant bouncy balls. Her groceries are everywhere, her kids are screaming, and those bouncy balls are rolling away as fast as they can. I am in my car almost to the exit. I turned around, parked, and picked up all of her groceries while she fetched the balls.

I don't tell this story because I want to brag on my action. This action cost me nothing major. It took an extra three minutes, tops. I could see on the woman's face that she was shocked I came to help. She was very thankful. I didn't do that because I am some awesome good person. I did it because I have been there and I knew she needed a little love at that moment. I have been the woman with spilled groceries and screaming kids in the parking lot when no one stops to help. I have been the woman in line with three sick kids, one item, and a person in front of me in line with a cart full that doesn't let me go ahead. I have been the woman who while serving her kids snack at the park has all her napkins blow away and not one mother helps me collect them or offers to watch and make sure my kids don't run off while I chase this mess down. I have been there and in a million other situations where it would have just been nice for someone to help and show me a little love.

I have also been the on the receiving end of some amazing acts of love and kindness, but unfortunately those acts rarely come from strangers. When I am out and about alone I have that feeling that it is just me and I better pray nothing goes wrong. This is so very unfortunate! Where were my fellow Christians in my time of need. Where was that stranger who knew it was their opportunity to show the kind of love to a neighbor that Christ was talking about when I needed it? We stink at this. Christians, we have to do better! I am definitely including myself here. I often catch myself being too caught up in my own daily agenda to worry about those around me who may be in need. We are all great at helping those we love. We help our friends. We often rush in during their times of need. We don't do the same for strangers. That is sad. We must do better.