The Unknown Neighbor

February 4, 2015

““The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and 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.”” – Mark 12:29-31

150 feet, maybe as much as 300 if you’re in the country.  The distance between you and a person that is having a bad day.  If you walked out of your front door and took 100 steps before ringing the door bell, might your effort at loving those around you change their entire day?  Many of us are guilty of looking right past those closest to us to try to help people on the other side of the world.  Perhaps the anonymity is what drives our choices or perhaps it is fear of knowing that we have to face our neighbors every day, so we don’t allow ourselves to get really close.

Those who live next door to you, across the street and around the corner are faced with the same eternal decision that you are faced with.  The reality is that they are going to die, and their eternal fate will be established.  When the scriptures tell us to love others like He has loved us, what does that mean to you?  It is God’s desire that none shall perish (2 Peter 3:8-9), and we have been called to serve Him while in this life.  Does your neighbor know of your faith, and do you know of theirs?

Is it sufficient in your mind that you alone have been saved and assured the grace and mercy from the most Holy God on judgment day?  Do you not have enough compassion and love for your those around you to share His redemptive story with them?  Think of the concentric circles surrounding your very house and work outward rather than reaching across the oceans and trying to work inward.  Be His feet, be His voice, be His hands to those around you.  Do not fear of what you will say, for God has promised the Spirit will speak through you at the appropriate time.  Your job is to walk the 150 feet and ring the doorbell.  Stop making excuses, and get your shoes on, there is much to do and many to reach.


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