Won't You Be My Neighbor?

9 “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. 10 And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:9-10

A cluttered home can lead to anxiety and frustration. Our stuff can easily be master over us, whereas when we live with less we actually experience more. More freedom. More peace. More joy. And clutter doesn’t only happen in our homes; it works its way into our calendars, the very framework of our busy lives.

If you’re a book lover like I am, you’ll appreciate this illustration: have you ever tried to fit just one more book in an already overstuffed bookshelf? It’s not easy, is it? Neither is trying to fit one more thing into our already jam-packed schedules. You, see if we don’t leave room for hospitality, it just won’t happen.

The Israelites were commanded to leave room on the edges of their fields, not to squeeze every last resource out of their assets. We can take a lesson from the wisdom of that command. Is it wise to schedule out every minute of our day? Are we leaving any margin or buffer zone for unexpected emergencies or spontaneous opportunities to bless another and extend hospitality? We would do well to anticipate that hospitality costs us our time, energy, and effort; therefore, we can intentionally offer up a margin of our time for the Holy Spirit to use to bless others.

The health of the field is paramount. If we are not taking care of ourselves and maintaining a balance of rest and work in our daily lives, we will not be able to offer hospitality very well to others. We may do it because we have to but we may do it begrudgingly as if we are straining to stuff another book into that bookshelf. But what if there is another way? A way of living not so rushed? A way of living with intentional margin to be able to offer the best of ourselves to those God has called us to extend hospitality to?

Today, picture your life as a bookshelf. What books are on there taking up space? Think about your responsibilities, activities, family, friendships, time wasters, money, emotional capacity, etc. Bring those consciously before the Lord today and ask Him to help you declutter. Allow Him to teach you how to leave an edge of margin. Pray a prayer of surrender today as you ask the Holy Spirit to make room for hospitality in your life.

By Ellen Rosenberger 

1 Peter 4:8-9: Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

When I was growing up, I used to get in trouble on a pretty regular basis. I was the youngest of three siblings, with two old sisters. I always had plenty of eyes on me, and I was pretty rambunctious. Whenever I would get in trouble, my mom would always make me go and apologize to my sisters. I remember grumbling internally as I would stumble up to them and mumble, “I’m sorry.” Then I would get told to “Say it like you mean it!” and I would muster up the energy to sound convincing, all the while grumbling inside.

I think in some ways, this is how we can view hospitality. We may feel like we should do it and try to put on a good face, but internally we feel stressed and overwhelmed. If I am honest with myself, I sometimes feel maxed out in terms of time, money, and emotional bandwidth. After a long day or week, I am not looking to reach out to our neighbors or invite others into our home. The thought of opening up our home, or taking the time to be hospitable can cause me to grumble internally. I think we can all think of excuses or just flat out feel too tired. While it is important to have good boundaries and balance, we still can get in a rut of either avoiding our neighbors or offering hospitality, but with a grumbling heart.

Later this week, we will look at how we can leave margin in our lives and we’ll present some creative ideas to show hospitality to others. But today, really consider what comes to mind when you think about being hospitable. Does it cause angst? As Americans, we can all fall into the pattern of viewing it as an inconvenience to our calendar, cost to our bank account, and invasion of our privacy. What’s your inner narrative when you think about offering hospitality? This is not meant to bring shame, but rather to cause us to critically reflect on our lives and mindsets. What specifically is hard for you when offering hospitality? What comforts or fears are you holding onto? As you wrestle with these questions, think of a time when someone showed you love and welcomed you into their home, even if they were busy. How did that make you feel? Could you offer that same love and warmth to someone in need?

By Billy Berglund 

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” Psalm 139:13-16

Hello from Africa! All the work to get here is done, and funds have been raised sufficient to get me here, and, more importantly, back! I’m in Nairobi, Kenya, working with Tyler and Amy Maxwell in their ministry to street boys. While jet lag is still tugging at my sleep switch, I’m wide awake enough to see the immense value behind this ministry.

My time here so far has been a journey of intense emotion, both joy and grief. Over the years, I’ve heard news reports and read articles regarding street children all over the world. But, first in my preparation by reading, and now in eyes-on reality, I can feel just a speck of the weight of this awful human tragedy. Boys and girls, ages as early as 6 and 7, to young men in their late teens and 20’s, to those who’ve spent decades living on the street. All learning to live by avoiding the swing of club or boot to their malnourished, drug addicted bodies, and roving ‘assassins’ self-tasked with their eradication. They cope with this life by huffing glue. They support their addiction by finding and selling enough recyclable materials to buy glue and maybe a little food. Mounds of garbage provide an alternative food source.

Businesses and neighborhoods disdain their existence, and laud their demise, praising those responsible. Many churches and religious institutions turn a deaf ear to their pleas for food, water, clothing and shelter. Ministries, such as the Maxwell’s, find it difficult to find local facilities to engage with these children. May the Son of Almighty God exact the true and righteous justice we read in Matthew 25:31-46.

I’m sorry if this seems a harsh message. I truly am. Every evening, I sit and consider what I’ve witnessed during the day, and just can’t come to grips with its depravity. These children, literally children, live each day under this oppression. There are many reasons they live on the street, from complete and ‘grinding’ poverty, to physical and sexual abuse, forcing them into an unseen life similar to refugees fleeing oppressive regimes.

I’ll peel open my heart a little: I’m overwhelmed by the immensity of this issue. But, rather than turn and walk away, I’m soul-wrestling with what to do. I don’t have enough money to save them all. I don’t have enough money to save many at all. One thing I do have, however, are knees and time for prayer. We all do. What would begin to soften and change our own lives are prayers that show the Lord we’re pleading the case for all these children, not just in Africa, but the many millions that are scattered all over the world. We can surrender ourselves to do God’s bidding, whatever that might be. Perhaps reading this prayer will help fashion a prayer for yourself to begin this journey with me.

Lord, I lay myself at your feet, not knowing how to be involved or how to reach these children for your glory. The only thing I can really do is surrender and listen. Help me hear that still small voice Elijah did as you reveal yourself to me and show me the desires you have for me. Help me to learn to say ‘yes’, even to things that appear too big for me. Help me to say ‘yes’, even as I stare at the unknown this might bring. Help me to say ‘yes’, no matter what.

By Rich Obrecht  

He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.  And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back’. Luke 10:34-35

Perhaps you’ve heard this before: “You’re in love with the idea of being in love.” The Good Samaritan is such a familiar story that when we hear its message we love to think of ourselves as a Good Neighbor. How could we be anything else as a Christ follower? But if we are honest with ourselves, can we give the name of our neighbors, or even remember the last time we might have helped them? Jesus’ story draws attention not only to the actions of the characters but what’s in their hearts. Their actions came from what they had inside.  In this week’s devotionals we have explored seeing our neighbors with our eyes (head), our heart, and now our hands (action).

We can agree with all Jesus teaches. We can believe in the Greatest Commandment – Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and the Golden Rule – Love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus doesn’t want us to just agree with him, he wants us to live like him. We might believe but do we go and do likewise? It’s like believing in the fire extinguisher, but not using it when there is fire around us. The Good Samaritan didn’t just love the people he liked, he saw the beaten man, had pity, and then acted. Mercy is doing. Love is action.

Jesus demonstrated his love towards us while we were yet sinners. Here we have a model to follow from Jesus himself. Our recent speaker, A.J. Sherrill, writes in his book Expansive,

“Jesus first initiative in public ministry was not to make a name for himself. His first initiative was to receive a name for himself. And that name is Beloved. For those who seek to missionally “be love,” they are wise to first “be-loved.” …the Church is referred to by the same name, Beloved, no less than 66 times. Jesus is the beloved one through which the people of God access belovedness.” When we are filled with his love we can be his hands and feet. We can meet the neighbors, the strangers, the broken on our way with the heart of Jesus. Use this block map to begin putting action behind your Good Neighbor intentions.

By Donna Burns  

Compassion hurts. It causes us to feel. To stop thinking about ourselves. Our schedules. Our responsibilities. It puts our self-focused preoccupations on the back burner so we can see the face and tears and the pain before us. Their tears and pain become our own.

I believe compassion drives us to the heart of Jesus. I’ve experienced it the past few days. A phone call on Saturday about a dearly loved brother-in-law’s sister who took her own life. An email on Sunday about a dearly loved family in our church whose precious son was placed on hospice care. And then the news on Monday that our own brother in Christ and friend, Tim Klibbe, was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident. All of us are stunted, after hearing about brutal accident with car over speeding. The lose is huge for us. At the point when you have been harmed as a result of carelessness by someone else you have legitimate rights and might be qualified to get fiscal pay. When you visit the doctor or go to the hospital, you expect the best care possible. Unfortunately, doctors and surgeons are people too; and sometimes they make mistakes. If the mistake is something minor, you might not need to contact an New York City Attorneys ASK4SAM. If the medical malpractice causes you to become disabled, more ill than you were when you entered the doctor’s office or hospital, or if it has caused the death of one of your loved ones, then you definitely need a good attorney so that you may be compensated for everything entitled to you. Most people think that by hiring a medical malpractice attorney, you’re only looking to get rich. However, most people who win their malpractice cases, or receive a settlement, have to pay the attorney, they have to pay for their medical expenses caused by the malpractice, and they have to support themselves if they’re out of work due to their new injuries. All of those payouts can quickly drain any settlement a person may receive for malpractice reasons. It’s not a way to get rich. Instead, hiring a medical malpractice attorney and winning your case is vindication for the wrong that’s been done to you, and it will also teach the doctor or surgeon a lesson. If you’ve been the victim of medical malpractice, you might be disabled and might have to miss work. That means your bills are going to pile up, which will usually include medical bills, and most people don’t have the money set aside in case of such emergencies. That’s where a medical malpractice attorney can help you get back on your feet. But you must find a good one so that you can better ensure you’ll win your case. A good medical malpractice attorney will also help show the doctor or surgeon that they can’t get away with what they’ve done. Winning your case, or receiving a settlement, will make that doctor or surgeon concentrate a little harder on each patient thereafter so that they don’t get sued by any other patients; which can quickly break even the most successful medical practitioner.

Personal injury attorneys are the individuals who are best able to assist victims and obtain recompense resulting from accidents and mishaps. The victims will benefit most if they seek guidance from a personal injury attorney who is experienced in dealing with personal injury related cases. The cost of the services that will be provided to the victim, of course, will be remunerated by the client. The majority of attorneys rate their charges depending on the condition of a particular case along with the severity of wounds. Generally, initial conversation with a personal injury attorney does not cost anything.
Personal injury attorney Stephen D. Phillips handles the personal injury cases.

You can deal with a physical issue case without anyone else and retain from contracting an individual physical issue lawyer, yet it simply does not merit the hazard. You can converse with the individual liable for your physical issue and attempt to settle without including the lawful framework, however on the off chance that the individual to blame has the protection they reserve the privilege to surrender the issue to their insurance agency. In the event that they decided to do this, at that point you are correct where you would prefer not to be, you need to manage the insurance agency. Insurance agencies aren’t commonly ready to give you a settlement as extensive as you are qualified for. They need to settle low, rapidly and set aside cash. Recollect that insurance agencies are experts. They have taken care of a wide range of cases like yours, they know the intricate details, and will do whatever they can to set aside themselves cash. They have their lawful divisions and in about each case they will outmatch you on the off chance that you attempt to deal with the issue yourself. You need an accomplished individual physical issue legal advisor to battle for you.

A Prominent Personal injury lawyer like Munley Law personal injury attorneys  protects your eventual benefits. They have seen cases like yours, know the law, and realize what kind of remuneration you are qualified for. They will research your case and in the event that they feel that your case can be won, they will plot a lawful course. A lawyer remembers your privileges and will work constantly to secure you and ensure that your privileges are ensured.  A personal injury case is a legal case that allows you to recover compensation from the party that is responsible for your injuries. You may file this type of claim after a car accident, truck accident, slip and fall, or any other type of incident where you sustained injuries as a result of the negligence of another party. By filing a personal injury claim, you can recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. Our firm’s goal is to protect the rights of our injured clients and help them recover as much monetary compensation as possible. At Amanda Demanda Law Group, we know how to fight for the outcome you deserve, and we know how to win. Find out how our services can help you get on the path to recovery. Visit our Home Page for the best Miami personal injury attorney.

On the off chance that you don’t have the foggiest idea about an individual physical issue lawyer and you have to discover one, you can ask a Salt Lake City, UT 84136, USA lawyer that you have had involvement in. They will definitely have in any event one individual injury lawyer to allude you. On the off chance that you don’t have the foggiest idea about a legal counselor, at that point ask your loved ones on the off chance that they can allude you to anyone. At the point when you have the names of certain lawyers do some examination to discover some foundation data about them and discover surveys about them from others. When you have chosen a few legal advisors that you figure you will be OK with calling every one of them and set up a gathering with them. Most lawyers will give you a gathering for no charge, yet some may have an expense so make certain to ask when you plan your gathering. At the gathering, you can enlighten them regarding your case and settle on which lawyer you might want to have speak to you. Birmingham, AL 35203, USA lawyer have a wealth of experience in your particular area; this is not to say that the young guns are useless, as they will certainly have plenty of enthusiasm for winning your case, yet there is nothing quite like experience as a weapon in your arsenal.

You have to ask your lawyer inquiries and be also educated as could reasonably be expected. One of the most significant things you have to get some information about is cost. A ton of individual injury legal advisors deal with a “Possibility Fee” premise, implying that they get a level of the settlement should your case be won (generally 33%-40% in close to home injury cases), yet they don’t get anything if the case is lost. They don’t get paid except if you get paid and that guarantees that they will do all that they can to ensure that you get as much as you are qualified for from your physical issue. You ought to likewise get some information about any “Lawyer Fees” and “Lawyer Costs.” These are two totally separate things, so while there may not expenses there might be expenses or the other way around. Most of the individual injury cases are privately addressed any remaining issues, so a few charges and costs won’t become an integral factor yet you should ensure that you think about them since you will pay them. A few lawyers are eager to arrange their charges however you should remember that increasingly experienced lawyers will have the option to get you bigger honors and settlements than lawyers with less experience.

At last, recall that in the event that you have been harmed because of the disregard of another gathering you do have rights. The best choice you need to secure those rights is to contract an accomplished, gifted and regarded individual injury lawyer to ensure that you get the pay to which you are entitled.

30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. Luke 10:30-35

I wish this story were different. I wish the priest was distracted and didn’t notice the injured man. I wish the Levite had been steeped in deep thought and simply didn’t see the plight of the injured man. That is not how this story is told. All three of the potential helpers have one thing in common: they all see the injured man. The fact is, they all saw a fellow human in desperate need and two of them chose not to help him.

Seeing the need is often not the issue, is it? We see hurt and pain all the time. But noticing issues is much different then seeking to change them. There is a kind of seeing that allows us to only see and not act. We see with OUR eyes rather then seeing through God’s eyes or another’s eyes. Human eyes are meant to move beyond their animalistic function. The base function of the eyes is to send data to the brain to protect ourselves and navigate the world around us. As image-bearers on the other hand, eyes were meant to help us see and protect all of creation.

The problem is we often use our senses only on our own behalf. It is no surprise when a religious leader sees an injured man as a threat to his religious purity. It’s no surprise that we see the plight of others as a threat to our own world. We go through the excuses for why the things we see will threaten the world we want for ourselves.

Now imagine using your senses for a larger purpose. Imagine a world in which your eyes are an extension of the eyes of Jesus in this world. Our bodies, minds, wills, and even our eyes are tools meant to see and love those around us well. Let us truly see today. Think about how you might be seeing only your needs rather than that of others. After processing that, use a prayer like this to confess and ask God to use your eyes for his good. Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. Give me eyes to see the world as you see it and the wisdom to know how I should act upon what I see. Thank you God for not only seeing my needs but for acting on them through your son Jesus Christ. Amen.

By Aaron Bjorklund