The thought recently occurred to me that "spreading the wealth around" is infinitely less effective than the simple act of extending love to one's neighbor. Money may help fill the belly but only love feeds the soul. The basic primary need we all have is for daily sustenance. Food and drink are essential to life as our bodies were designed to require small quantities of both on a regular basis, fuel as it were, for energy to progress through any given day. But both can only fill a temporary need. Within hours we find ourselves hungry and thirsty again. One could easily conclude than any "humanitarian" effort can only be successfully accomplished under the umbrella of love. A love that is genuine and long suffering. A love that gives without condition or agenda.
By definition a community is a social unit of any size having a particular characteristic in common. Even as few as several decades ago, communities, or neighborhoods, were pretty much just that. Most everyone, at least in smaller communities, knew every one else. Gossip back then, before the dawn of the all knowing, all seeing Iphone was more or less a way of catching up and staying informed. You knew your milk man and newspaper boy by name (dating myself here). If you lived in the suburbs your front door may have even been left unlocked apart from a vacation now and then.
Not so much today.
If as children, our grand parents could suddenly be transported from then to present day in an instant, they would experience a culture shock more devastating than they would care to admit. They would find themselves thrust into a world where technology, which was originally intended to benefit society, actually served to separate and alienate. A world where the thoughts and actions once consumed by others, have over time been consumed by inward though and isolated action.
May Americans are: Alone. Depressed. Angry. Judgmental. In bondage. Boastful. Arrogant. Corrupt. Greedy. The dreadful list goes on and on.
Look around and tell me it's not so. On television and in the news, negativity, strife, and gossip sells and sells big. In the world of politics, it's even worse. Then again, some things never change.
But you and I could…..and can.
People are hurting and need other people who genuinely care, not just kinda care. In fact, if everyone in the community which you live took care of or looked after at least one other person on a consistent basis, then everyone would be accounted for. Simple mathematics which in this instance is destined to be short circuited by human nature.
If you were to ask God of all the commandments, which is the most important, what do you think He would say? Fortunately He did say: “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31
Loving your neighbor as yourself is quite a paradox, isn't it. I mean, when the rubber meets the road, can we really do that? Would we want to? Shouldn't we anyway? I have met a lot of folks who are NOT Christian but who express abundant love for their neighbor. Now there’s a wake up call for those who claim to follow Christ.
It appears to me that Jesus goes on the assumption that His commandment of love is preeminent to any inconvenience we may experience attempting to carry it out. Those who have decided to follow Christ must certainly give the utmost consideration to His clear, emphatic command. If we trust Him, He will give us the grace to do this. If we choose not to, we will lose the immediate blessing and lack of witness of His love in our life. When we do not love with genuine love or if we offer a half-hearted or fleeting love, then we are nothing more than a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. Let us strive to daily permeate our community with the love of God, one soul at a time. By this they will know we are His disciples.
Jim
Excellent and thought -provoking . I especially like the part speaking of each of us doing our part . Makes so much sense ! Sharing God’s love daily should be part of our being .