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February 2, 2009
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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================
Neighboring, by Phil Ware
The pictures are absolutely hilarious. They are pictures of dogs and
their owners. I think they were once part of a promotion for Cesar dog
food and the dog owners were doing their best to support the old rumor
that dog owners resemble their dogs -- or vice versa. In the case of
these images, they were spot on -- sorry, pun intended. And the
"look-alike rumor" is based on a deeper truth: we do take on the
qualities of the object of our love. Which brings me to the theme of
"neighboring."
"So just who is my neighbor?" This question was launched by an expert
on the Old Testament law to test Jesus. While it may seem innocent
enough at first glance, underneath it was the push to find out just
what is needed to qualify for eternal life (Luke 10:25). To put it
crassly, "What's my minimum requirement on being neighborly?"
Jesus addressed the question in three powerful ways, never letting the
"expert in the law" off the hook . Jesus was going to make sure this
expert had to "own" his answer. Jesus asked the man to state his
understanding of God's truth twice, rather than Jesus giving the
"expert" an answer (Luke 10:26; Luke 10:36).
First, Jesus made clear the issue is about "neighboring": intention and
emotion are important, but godly compassion always involves action (James
2:14-17; 1 John 3:16-17). Jesus made this powerfully clear by answering
the question by telling the story of "the good Samaritan" (Luke
10:30-35). The question is not, "Who is my neighbor [who I must
serve]?" Instead, the question is, "Who needs neighboring: who needs my
help and support?" And Jesus frames the story by the emphasis on "doing
compassion" by framing the story with these two phrases: (1) "Do this
and live" (Luke 10:28 TNIV), and (2) "Go and do likewise" (Luke 10:35).
Second, Jesus demonstrated what it means to "love your neighbor as
yourself." A simple scan of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John -- the books
in the Bible that tell the story of Jesus -- help us understand just
what "neighboring" means. We meet men and women, religious and
non-religious, leaders and powerless, rich and poor, able-bodied and
those who are sick, dying, and dead. Jesus simply ignored the
categories we so easily force people to fit. He broke social barriers,
gender barriers, and religious stereotypes. He did not meet someone who
was not his neighbor and he calls us to live the same way.
Third, Jesus always kept the command to "love your neighbor as
yourself" connected to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind" (Luke
10:27). We become like the One we love! We cannot love God and not love
others (1 John 4:7-21).
So what's the point of all of this? Simple: it's not about figuring out
who is our neighbor, but about neighboring those around us in need!
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Make a list of all the different kinds of people Jesus served -- take a
quick scan of the gospels to remind yourself of all the different kinds
of people Jesus' life touched in a redemptive way (Matthew 8:1-38; Mark
9:1-50; Mark 3:1-64; Luke 7:1-50 are a good start).
What do you think the message is for you and how you are to "neighbor"
others based on Jesus' example?
So what's the point of all of this?
How would you describe what "neighboring" others means in your daily
life?
What leads you to keep from "neighboring" those who need our help?
What makes it hard "neighboring" others you may not know?
What makes it hard "neighboring" those you do know?
I'd love to hear from you on my blog about this:
http://www.thephilfiles.com/2009/02/01/neighboring
---------
(c) 2009 Phil Ware <phil@heartlight.org>. All rights reserved.
RELATED LINKS:
* Is It Really All Just So Much Talk?
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200601/20060119_alltalk.html
* Compassion over Cares
http://www.heartlight.org/wjd/matthew/0711-wjd.html
* These People Each Have a Name
http://www.heartlight.org/two_minute/2min_022697.html
* Southern Hills Church of Christ
http://www.southernhillschurch.org
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200902/20090202_neighboring.html
=========================== FEATURED PRODUCT =========================
FACING THE GIANTS, DVD, by Alex Kendrick
Created by a church in Georgia to evangelize non-believers and
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about trusting God for the impossible!
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?253
Find more great books, CDs and videos at the Heartlight store! With
each purchase you make, you're helping to support Heartlight's
ministry. Thanks SO MUCH for your help!
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