It’s so easy to go about our lives taking care of ourselves and our duties and our families that we totally miss the call to love our neighbors as well. At least, I know it is for me. Being an introvert, I don’t normally go out of my way to talk to neighbors or those I pass on the streets or in the store aisles. Today’s word and challenge is NEIGHBORLINESS. I would define it as being available to connect with those who cross our path, whoever they may be. Often this will come as an interruption to our schedules, not an item we can check off of our to-do list. Yet it usually is the most important thing.
The Christmas story is full of interruptions. Shepherds watching their sheep when, out of the blue, some angels tell them to go to Bethlehem. Astronomers studying the stars when One Star directed them to make a long journey. Mary and Joseph taking care of baby Jesus when an angel told them to hie themselves quickly to Egypt to protect the child. But perhaps the best story told on NEIGHBORLINESS is the Good Samaritan story found in Luke 10. (Go read it if you’re not familiar with it.) In this story, a badly beaten man is lying by a road. Two religious types pass by him quickly, not wanting to get involved. But then, one who is looked down on by those same religious people stops and takes care of the man, showing mercy when others did not. Jesus praised this neighbor. Others looked down their noses at this man, but all Jesus cared about was the mercy he showed his neighbor.
It may be harder than ever to be NEIGHBORLY this Christmas of 2020, due to the pandemic that is raging and the need to be socially distant from others. Nevertheless, we all can think of little ways to leave our comfort zones and reach out to care for others. It may a simple thing such as wearing a mask. It may be leaving a small gift on a doorstep to let a neighbor know you’re thinking of them. It may be sending a card with a personal note. It may be stopping to help or calling for help when you pass a car broken down on the side of the road. It may be saying one encouraging word to a person next to you in a check-out line, or giving an extra tip to your delivery person. But this Advent, let’s take time for interruptions and practice NEIGHBORLINESS, showing mercy and kindness to all.
Luke 10:27 “You shall love the Lord your God with all our heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.”
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