Are You A Good Neighbor?
Good Morning Friends,
Earlier this week I was at a daylong event learning about collective impact in a room filled with care givers of one sort or another. It was about using our head, heart and strength to strategically work to create caring communities. The hope of the message was that we would together begin to create self-reinforcing loops of better behavioral health which in turn creates healthier families, which in turn creates better outcomes for youth in education and community and business. And it got me to thinking about the importance of having a clear vision and of engaging people of diversity (in personality and culture and abilities) in the process of working together to accomplish what we cannot accomplish alone. And then I read today’s lectionary reading and it dawned on me as I connected the dots that there is a process and vision here that God has given us of learning to express our emotions in our relationship with God but also each other that is the model we are to use. What we learn is that this is difficult work that we must learn together and impossible work without love. Are You A Good Neighbor?
Scripture: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Leviticus 19:18 (NRSV)
One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; and ‘to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself,’–this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question.
Mark 12:28-34 (NRSV)
The whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:14 (NRSV)
Message: During times of change and stress we especially need to take care of our own bodies…the temples of the Lord… as well as our spirit before we can show loving care to those God sends our way. The foundation of loving others is loving God and self. Jesus often chastised the religious leaders of His day because they could not read the signs of the times…because they failed to love…because they did not see the need for change. They struggled with change and love even as we do today. We resist love and change because it is an imposition on our territory and sense of power. We resist love and change because of a misunderstanding or a lack of trust. We resist change and love because of a lack of knowledge. We resist love and change because we have opinions and see and assess the costs and benefits differently. People struggle with love the same way they struggle with their neighbors changing. Jesus could figure out what made people uncomfortable about love and change and nudged them into an understanding of what matters most. When that same character of love is in us our spiritual batteries are recharged and we do not grow weary. Love creates the loop that sustains. So, friends, what matters most if it is not love? Is not love of our neighbor a natural outgrowth of our love of God? So, what keeps us back? What keeps us from reaching beyond and growing? Certainly, it cannot be more difficult for you and me than it is for orphans in Haiti, or children in a Kibera, Nairobi slum or children aging out of Foster Care. At least, we have we have some momentum to press onward to the future. So, friends, today whatever we are struggling to do, we need to know that we can face the challenges with faith and love for each other. Today we need to stretch in faith and find true worth and value through love, one for another.
Pray we envision ourselves as striving to love God, love people and love the truth. Pray we clearly see ways where we need to grow. Pray we believe that God will empower us to become all that we need to be. Pray we are enabled to love more fully. Pray we have a personal ownership of the mission. Pray with empathy that we feel something good about ourselves. Pray we forgive ourselves. Pray we are confident in who we are. Pray we stop comparing ourselves to others. Pray we realize that God gave us worth at our birth. Pray we become people that we can respect. Pray we become people who reach beyond our existence. Pray we open our lives and grow into the full and abundant life God wants to give each of us. Pray we discover the heart of the matter and share in kindness a response to the Great Commandment. Pray we are good neighbors for those at risk. Pray we realize that we too could be at risk anytime. Pray we develop fruit of the Spirit. Pray we not marginalize others. Pray we dare to care about personal relationships. Pray we not nurse grudges. Pray we are frank and honest. Pray we speak the truth in love. Pray we love our neighbors as ourselves…on our knees. Pray we live in peace as we experience His love and share it. Pray we have the courage to change. Pray that the character of God’s love is manifest in us.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 