This afternoon as I was out and about there was a person who approached me who

appeared to be confused and possibly drug addicted.  I must    confess that I did not

take the time I should have to attend to her. That    interaction and a conversation I had

earlier in the day regarding immigration began to churn within me.  I would like to say

I always make the right choice when faced with the needs of others, but sadly I do not. 

Like most of us I am easily distracted unless the issue at hand impacts me personally;

which should not be the case. 

 

I am more aware than ever that my family is in a privileged situation when it comes to

immigration issues, but there are many who are going to be suffering a great deal. Why should we care if people’s problems

do not touch our lives or those we know? In the narrative of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, we are asked the question, “who is my neighbour?” It is not just those who look like us, not just those who are comfortable to be around.  Our neighbour, who we are called to care about, is whoever is in need.  The Samaritans were considered unworthy in their society. They were looked down upon because they did not have full Jewish blood running through their veins. Yet it was a Samaritan who was willing to go out of his way for an injured person he could have crossed the road to avoid. How many times do we look the other way or avoid contact with someone? I regret my lack of attentiveness to the woman I met today. Hopefully the next time you or I meet a person in need, we will be the good Samaritan and offer help.

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 We are living in difficult times for many.  The lack of carers in our part of the country has caused many vulnerable people to be left in hospital for extended periods of time. In fact, we have had members in our church in that situation.  Yes, we can pray for change and we need to do so.  But we also must be willing to love and walk beside our neighbours, those people God puts in our path. We must discover what we can do to assist others in need in practical ways, and to learn how the church can make a difference for people on the margins. The refugee families we have come to love, who came through our English Language Café are sure to be feeling the pinch just now. The families we know who are feeling overwhelmed by the unavailability of supportive caregiving  services will  be  needing  our encouragement  just now too.  Many of our

visitors to the warm hub struggle with various social issues. The woman I met in the car park who was in distress, and countless others who battle with depression, drink and drugs are all around us. We must not ignore their cries.

These examples are only a few of the ways that our neighbours are hurting. 

 

When an issue does not impact us, we might let it go without a second thought.  But Jesus asks us to care for those who are vulnerable as in the parable of the kingdom found in Matthew 25. ‘ 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ (NIV).  When we have cared for the least of those in the world’s terms we have cared for Jesus. Mother Theresa who is known for her care among lepers and the most impoverished in our society has said this ‘I see Jesus in every human being. I say to myself, ‘This is hungry Jesus, I must feed him. This is sick Jesus. This one has leprosy or gangrene; I must wash him and tend to him.’ I serve because I love    Jesus’

Do we serve and care for others because we love Jesus?  Do we see Jesus in the face of the hurting and hungry?  We have much work to do, and we can start by letting the plight of others touch our lives and hearts.  Praying and listening to the gentle nudges of the Holy Spirit will direct us towards loving our neighbours. As we love others, the love of God is a fragrant offering that is visible to everyone around us.  This summer season as we have our holidays and get busy, let us not forget to be a neighbour, to love deeply and to give generously. I am looking forward to hearing some God stories where the Lord has used you to be a neighbour to someone in need!