...And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself
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' (Matthew 22:36-39).
Throughout my Christian life I have read this verse over and over again. I have even striven to do what it commands, but, alas! too many times I fall so short of what I am supposed to do. Some time ago, while I was yet in my infancy in Christ, I had the opportunity to help someone in need and failed in that task. To this day, that woman's eyes haunt me and I will never forget the sorrow I felt at letting God down. I know that He has long since forgiven me and forgotten this lack of action, as they say, "as far as the east is from the west", but it will forever be a reminder to me as to what should have been the first of many times that I have helped when help was needed.
A few years before my youngest was born, I was living in Tucson; newly married to my soul mate and settling into life with him and Andrea, who at the time was just four. I remember coming home after work and stopping by the grocery store by the apartment for some things that I needed. I really don't recall what I stopped for because in the grand scheme of things, it was just a means to the end, so to speak. Anyway, as I was on my way into the store, I stopped short at seeing an elderly lady laying by a car, half of her on the sidewalk, the other half on the pavement. I didn't move and looked up towards the store as two of the employees came running out to help her. As I was passing by her, she looked up at me with the most profound sadness in her eyes. I went in, got what I needed and left, checking the area where the lady was prior, breathing a sigh of relief that she was gone. The next morning and the next couple of weeks after, I scoured the news and the newspapers to see if there was anything about the lady at the parking lot. I never saw another thing nor did I hear any more after that, however, even after all of these years, I still see her face in my mind's eye so clearly that she could be right in front of me.
I tell you this for a reason. Not to clear my conscience, because I do not believe that is what is needed. Its not my conscience that bothers me the most, its my total lack of action when I knew in my heart that it was the right thing to do, that I had let God down in a big way. I cannot tell you how many times that I have failed that task and have learned from my inaction, but on the other hand, so many times I have been blessed by the times that I have taken action. I do not look for publicity, praise or kudos...I have found that I am extremely uncomfortable at being praised for something that is in my nature to do. If I am able, I do....If I am unable, I pray. That's me. That's who I am in Christ.
Now, after going the long way around the barn, I will get to my point here. In the last two weeks, tornadoes have absolutely devastated our Country's midsection. As of this writing, the cat 4 tornadoes that ripped through Illinois, Tennessee, Alabama and whatever other state that was affected has left 20 dead and many missing. I watched a news report tonight that showed bare ground where a man had just placed a new mobile home replacing the one that was torn apart from the last tornado that ripped through there. People's lives are broken apart because of this devastation and I'm afraid that it may be getting worse. With the shift in our weather patterns we are bound to see things in areas that we normally wouldn't and the weather occurrences that are normal for say, Alabama, Nebraska, Iowa and the likes seem to be ten times worse than normal. We cannot, we must not sit on our hands and do nothing. These people have lost everything; they've lost loved ones, they've lost memories, they've lost clothing, food, clean drinking water and some may have lost their hope and their courage amongst the rubble that once was their home.
So, this is now a call to action. What can you do to help those in need? Do you have clothes in your closet that don't fit? Donate them to your church and let them know its for the folks in the tornado areas. Are you handy with tools? Volunteer to go to the areas of devastation and help to rebuild homes there. Do you have the gift of cooking? Go and cook in the shelters there. How about the gift of crochet, knitting or sewing? Make blankets, clothes, whatever you can to help out. Do you lack "skills"? Pray. Everyone can pray. Everyone must pray for recovery, for rebuilding, for hope, for comfort, for peace. We have the means, folks, lets make a way for these folks to see faith in action.
Throughout my Christian life I have read this verse over and over again. I have even striven to do what it commands, but, alas! too many times I fall so short of what I am supposed to do. Some time ago, while I was yet in my infancy in Christ, I had the opportunity to help someone in need and failed in that task. To this day, that woman's eyes haunt me and I will never forget the sorrow I felt at letting God down. I know that He has long since forgiven me and forgotten this lack of action, as they say, "as far as the east is from the west", but it will forever be a reminder to me as to what should have been the first of many times that I have helped when help was needed.
A few years before my youngest was born, I was living in Tucson; newly married to my soul mate and settling into life with him and Andrea, who at the time was just four. I remember coming home after work and stopping by the grocery store by the apartment for some things that I needed. I really don't recall what I stopped for because in the grand scheme of things, it was just a means to the end, so to speak. Anyway, as I was on my way into the store, I stopped short at seeing an elderly lady laying by a car, half of her on the sidewalk, the other half on the pavement. I didn't move and looked up towards the store as two of the employees came running out to help her. As I was passing by her, she looked up at me with the most profound sadness in her eyes. I went in, got what I needed and left, checking the area where the lady was prior, breathing a sigh of relief that she was gone. The next morning and the next couple of weeks after, I scoured the news and the newspapers to see if there was anything about the lady at the parking lot. I never saw another thing nor did I hear any more after that, however, even after all of these years, I still see her face in my mind's eye so clearly that she could be right in front of me.
I tell you this for a reason. Not to clear my conscience, because I do not believe that is what is needed. Its not my conscience that bothers me the most, its my total lack of action when I knew in my heart that it was the right thing to do, that I had let God down in a big way. I cannot tell you how many times that I have failed that task and have learned from my inaction, but on the other hand, so many times I have been blessed by the times that I have taken action. I do not look for publicity, praise or kudos...I have found that I am extremely uncomfortable at being praised for something that is in my nature to do. If I am able, I do....If I am unable, I pray. That's me. That's who I am in Christ.
Now, after going the long way around the barn, I will get to my point here. In the last two weeks, tornadoes have absolutely devastated our Country's midsection. As of this writing, the cat 4 tornadoes that ripped through Illinois, Tennessee, Alabama and whatever other state that was affected has left 20 dead and many missing. I watched a news report tonight that showed bare ground where a man had just placed a new mobile home replacing the one that was torn apart from the last tornado that ripped through there. People's lives are broken apart because of this devastation and I'm afraid that it may be getting worse. With the shift in our weather patterns we are bound to see things in areas that we normally wouldn't and the weather occurrences that are normal for say, Alabama, Nebraska, Iowa and the likes seem to be ten times worse than normal. We cannot, we must not sit on our hands and do nothing. These people have lost everything; they've lost loved ones, they've lost memories, they've lost clothing, food, clean drinking water and some may have lost their hope and their courage amongst the rubble that once was their home.
So, this is now a call to action. What can you do to help those in need? Do you have clothes in your closet that don't fit? Donate them to your church and let them know its for the folks in the tornado areas. Are you handy with tools? Volunteer to go to the areas of devastation and help to rebuild homes there. Do you have the gift of cooking? Go and cook in the shelters there. How about the gift of crochet, knitting or sewing? Make blankets, clothes, whatever you can to help out. Do you lack "skills"? Pray. Everyone can pray. Everyone must pray for recovery, for rebuilding, for hope, for comfort, for peace. We have the means, folks, lets make a way for these folks to see faith in action.
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