Neighbors

"Service is a way of offering resources, time, treasure, influence, and expertise for the care, protection, justice, and nurture of others.  Acts of service give hands to the second greatest commandment: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
--Adele Calhoun, "Spiritual Disciplines Handbook"

What's that story in the Bible about "who is your neighbor?"  Hmmm...  Oh yeah.  The Good Samaritan.

That story tells us that everyone is our neighbor, right?  Not just those who physically live next door or on the same street.  Not just those who go to our church.  Not just those who look like us, dress like us, think like us...  But everyone.

Wow, that's hard to wrap your head around, isn't it?  We are to love the sick, the mean, the lonely, the oppressed, the dirty, the uneducated... the sinners...  just as we love ourselves.  Whoa.

Kind of takes away the "I'm better than you" attitude, doesn't it?  Or it should, anyway...  But do we really change our way of thinking to include everyone as our neighbor?  Everyone - as people who deserve love and grace?  Everyone - who deserve my love, and my service?

Something to think about.  Go through your day and notice how many times you pass judgement on other people...  Catch yourself.  Then, say a prayer for yourself (to be more open-minded and open-hearted, and then for the ther person).  Why do you automatically feel you're better than the other person?  What would God say to that?

I'll be working on this for awhile...  I hope you'll join me in the challenge!