The
thought occurred to me that "spreading the wealth around" is infinitely
less effective than the simple act of extending love to one's neighbor.
Money may help fill the belly but only love feeds the soul. The basic
primary need we all have is for daily sustenance. Food and drink are
essential to life as our bodies were designed to require small
quantities of both on a regular basis, fuel as it were, for energy to
progress though any given day. But both can only fill a temporary need.
Within hours we find ourselves hungry and thirsty again. One could
easily conclude than any "humanitarian" effort can only be successfully
accomplished under the umbrella of love. A love that is genuine and long
suffering. A love that gives without condition or agenda.
By
definition a community is a social unit of any size that shares common
values. Even as few as several decades ago, communities, or
neighborhoods, were pretty much just that. Most everyone, at least in
smaller communities, knew every one else. Gossip back then, before the
dawn of the all knowing, all seeing cell phone was more or less a way of
catching up and staying informed. You knew your milk man and newspaper
boy by name. Even your front door was left unlocked apart from a
vacation now and then.
Not so much today.
If
as children, our grand parents could suddenly be transported from then
to present day in an instant, they would experience a culture shock more
devastating than they would care to admit. They would find themselves
thrust into a world where technology, which was originally intended to
benefit society, actually served to separate and alienate. A world where
the thoughts and actions once consumed by others, had over time been
consumed by inward though and isolated action.
Alone. Depressed. Angry. Judgmental. In bondage. Boastful. Arrogant. Corrupt. Greedy.
Look
around and tell me it's not so. On television and in the news, this
stuff sells and sells big. In the world of politics, it's even
worse....then again, some things never change.
But you and I could and can.
People
are hurting and need other people who genuinely care, not just kinda
care. In fact, if everyone in the community which you live took care of
or looked after at least one other person on a consistent basis, then
everyone would be accounted for. Simple mathematics which in this
instance is destined to be short circuited by human nature.
If
you were to ask God of all the commandments, which is the most
important, what do you think He would say? Fortunately He did say: “The
most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God
is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all
your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The
second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other
commandment is greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31
Loving
your neighbor as yourself is quite a paradox, isn't it. I mean, when
the rubber meets the road, can we really do that? Would we want to?
Shouldn't we anyway?
It appears to me that
Jesus goes on the assumption that the commandment is preeminent to any
inconvenience we may experience attempting to carry it out. Those who
have decided to follow Christ must certainly give the utmost
consideration to His clear, emphatic command. If we trust Him, He will
give us the grace to do this. If we choose not to, we will lose the
immediate blessing and lack of witness of His love in our life. When we
do not love with genuine love, if we offer a half hearted or fleeting
love, then we are nothing more than a resounding gong or a clashing
cymbal. Not cool as far as this generation is concerned. Let us strive
to daily permeate our community with the love of God, one soul at a
time. By this they will know we are His disciples.
James
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