[RE]FOCUS Day 40
Week 6: Reforming
Day 5: Love of Your Neighbor
By Lisa Troxel
READ:
Luke 10:36–37 “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
We have been blessed with some amazing neighbors in our many moves. We have lived near folks that cleared snow for us, cared for our pets and kids, shared their tools or treats with us. We have also been able to bless our neighbors with similar things. When looking to buy a house, people have asked, “How is the neighborhood?”
But this is just looking directly at our physical neighbors~ people that live near us. The point that Jesus was making was that our neighbors are not limited to the people that live near and live life with us. Anyone can be our neighbor. A neighbor is someone who looks like us and acts and thinks like us AND someone that looks different from us and acts and thinks differently. Jesus calls us to love our neighbors – all our neighbors. To show his love, kindness, forgiveness and grace to all neighbors regardless of where we live, how similar or different we are. We were all created in his image and likeness, yet that image has been corrupted by sin. Jesus also gives us the best example of how this should look: how He loves us unconditionally, even when we don’t deserve it.
To be a good neighbor is to show love like Jesus, without looking for anything in return, even when our neighbors might not deserve it. Loving our neighbors in this way is a great way to introduce someone to Jesus, too. Building a relationship with someone, they see that there is perhaps something different about the way you show and share love with others.
PRAY:
Lord God, Thank You for Your grace and patience to love us when we forget or intentionally show the opposite of love to our neighbor. Reform our habits, our thinking, our schedules to love especially when it is inconvenient. Help us to love people well, for when we serve them, we serve and worship You. Amen.
LIVE:
What makes it difficult or awkward to be a neighbor? What makes it easy?