Have mercy on others

17 March 

Read Luke 10:30-37 and reflect on the passage.

Growing up, I remember a neighbor lady who lived across the street. She lived alone and was terrified of thunderstorms. Whenever a storm arose, she called our house and one of us girls had to go stay with her till it passed. I hated it. I would beg my sisters to go in my place, but when it was my turn, I had to go. I remember once saying I would go, and then heading in the opposite direction to a friend’s house, knowing she would be terrified, but I didn’t care. I forgot I was her neighbor.

Jesus tells a story about someone who gets beat up and left for dead. Those who should have stopped and cared for him walked on by, but the very one who should not stop does. Why? Because he sees the man simply as a person in need—as a neighbor. When Martin Luther translated the Bible from Latin to German, he had two German words from which to choose for the word neighbor. One meant “the person next door,” the other “the person in need.” He chose the second. Loving with all our heart is being a neighbor to those in need.

Questions

1. Recall a time when you failed to show mercy to one in need. Lord have mercy.

2. Recall a time when you embraced someone else’s need whole-heartedly with compassion and care. What was the difference from the first instance?

Prayer

Merciful God, open our eyes to those around us who are hurting and in need. Show us how to be a neighbor, through Jesus’ mercy.

—Patti Morlock

Recipe for Caring

Titus 3:3 (MSG)
  It wasn't so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. 

Don't you just love how earthy the words from Titus 3 are when read from The Message Bible? I don't know about you, but this version often speaks things the way I think them - simple, honest and so very down to earth. That's what I mean by earthy.

When I pray about how in the world I am going to tell someone about Jesus, share my faith in a manner that is humble and genuine I realize I need to be real, to be me and not some phony who feels called to 'save those sinners'. If truth be told, I am one of those sinners and I daily fall short of who and what I want to be. So, with that out of the way, how can God use me today?  Right now?  Where I am this moment?

I am called to care, to really and truly care what happens to my neighbor. I am called to love and to share Jesus' love with everyone I meet, but how is this possible? How can I, the very person who complained to herself only a day or two ago that she wanted to be left alone. Wanted to live without having to deal with people. Wow - just imagine if Jesus had said that 2000 years ago!

This task might seem daunting, but as with anything worthwhile, it isn't easy. I think the best way to tackle this is to just step out in faith. Smile at that new neighbor.  Stop for a moment on that walk around the neighborhood and say a few friendly words. See where God takes it. Some days all it takes is for us to make the next right move and then put it in God's hands.

He will show us how to care. He will lead the way if we just give Him the reigns to our life.


Titus 3:3-8

What About Him?

The arrival of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost changed everything for this band of Christ followers. They were all together in one place and were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit in our lives is a game-changer. It was for them as well.

Peter had to make some major adjustments to his beliefs and his practices to be on the same page with God. He went so far as to argue his point with God after God commanded Peter to "kill and eat". Then God gave him a sign and Peter got the message. But, then he had to convince the other disciples.

What it boiled down to was God wanted everyone to get to know Jesus but Peter thought only the Jews should know and be saved. "When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.” (Acts 11:18)

The Disciple's task just became a whole lot bigger. Now they had to share the Gospel message with Jew and Gentiles. The same can be said for us. We are to share the Gospel message with everyone so that all have the opportunity to know and be saved. It doesn't matter the nationality, the social status, educational background or who they know. The only thing that matters is that God loves them and we should also.

When pointing at our neighbor and asking, "What about Him?"  Yup, him too.  What about my boss who doesn't even like me? Yes, but maybe someone else could tell him or her about God's love. The point is, we all have the right to know Jesus. And one of us needs to get started.

Acts 11:1-18

Love God, Love Others

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  -Matthew 22:36-39

Love God, Love Others.  Sounds simple doesn’t it. It actually is, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

Why?  Why is it so hard for us to love God the way Jesus tells us to in Matthew?  I think it’s because it says to love him with ALL of our heart, ALL of our soul and ALL of our mind.  If we can do that then the next would come easy, to love our neighbor as ourselves.

If I think about my own journey to love God with ALL of those areas, it means getting myself out of the way. A popular meme going around Facebook reads, “Thinking more of others doesn’t mean thinking less of yourself, it just means thinking of yourself less.”  I think that fits here. 

When we get up in the morning, we typically think about ourselves first. What we are going to eat, what we are going to wear, and what we are going to do that day.  If we have kids, we think of them but usually even then we are thinking about how they are going to make us late.

Perhaps we should start the day thinking about God.  It sounds so simple it almost seems cliché, but the reality is, spending time in prayer asking him what we should do, and reading our Bible seeking his wisdom takes the focus off of ourselves and puts it on him.  

Then we are more prepared to think of our neighbor and notice where they may need grace or mercy extended.  Simply put-- Love God, Love Others. 

Bookends of Discipleship

Romans 15:1 (NIV) We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Romans 15:7 (NIV) Accept one another, the, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

These two verses serve as bookends, holding the content between them in place. We are to strive, not to please ourselves, but to bring praise to God. This is discipleship in action. The strength referred to here is faith.  We who are strong [in faith] ought to bear with those who aren't yet there. We are to come alongside and work with them because that is the example Jesus gave.

The five verses in between instruct us in how to do this. Each of us should please his neighbor, build him up. (v2) How often do we not even know our neighbor? Do we not even speak with him? Not because we are unfriendly, we just don't make it a priority.  Worse than that, we don't give them another thought. When convicted about this I have to stop and consider the tired but worthwhile phrase, "what would Jesus do?"  

So, what would Jesus do? Jesus would love them.  For us, we can begin by simply acknowledging we have neighbors. We can wave and call out a friendly greeting. We can strike up a conversation when we see them in their yard.  We can be kind and generous with our time. A smile and warm greeting go along way to building a relationship. 

Jesus didn't force himself on the crowds, He made himself available. We should do no less.

Read Romans 15:1-7 at www.biblegateway.com or in your own Bible.