Welcome to those of you who are participating the Heart of the Matter study group this spring!
Here are some questions for reflection, from Lesson Number One: Imitating Christ
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34 (NIV)
We all know this verse. It is probably one of the first verses we memorized as a child. Wow…it is so much easier to memorize than live it out! As the study guide mentioned, it is easy to love those around us, but what happens when we are asked to widen the circle of our loving relationships to strangers in our communities and people we’ve never met? Or harder yet. . . those who have different views than us!
Please pray through this scripture this week and see what God is saying to you in regards to loving your neighbor. As the study mentions, the command Jesus gave His apostles makes it clear that we are not only to love, but love as Jesus loves us. This is someone who washed feet as well as sacrificed his life.
Let’s share our thoughts on the following questions:
1. Who is my neighbor?
2. What does loving them look like?
3. How do I respond?
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I believe that our "neighbor" is everyone. I don't think that this is referring to location, but people in general. Loving them can be expressed in a variety of ways. We are each called to do different things when it comes to loving our neighbor. The first step to loving them is to be aware of them - don't turn a blind eye. The way that I respond is to do something. I try to be obedient to what God calls me to do, no matter how big or small.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if any of you have any ideas of how you would feed your family on $2/day? There are six of us. I am not sure that we can do $2 a meal. I would love to hear your thoughts!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jamie, I think my neighbor is all human kind. I think this love can be expressed through the small things we do every day, like letting someone over who has their blinker on, or giving to charities, like World Vision, that help change the global community. Trying to live by the "golden rule" is difficult sometimes but I still try. Treating people with respect, whether you know them or not, would greatly benefit our society.
ReplyDelete$2 a day would be tough for one or two much less six! I think it would require a lot of bargain shopping, bulk buying and careful planning. I think getting enough protein and fresh produce would be the most expensive part of the meal. Rice and beans would be the only source of protein that I would think of to feed a whole family and satisfy them all.
OK, so I got curious about the $2 a day thing and did some research. You could feed your family of 6 for $1.68. The meal would consist of 1/2 cup of rice and 1/2 cup of pinto beans. Maybe you could all split a banana with the extra $.32?
ReplyDeleteThis is bulk from Sam's Club. If you went to Safeway, the same meal would cost around $3.
Thanks Katherine! That really gives some perspective on how often and how much we eat on a daily basis. I was thinking the standard three meals a day, but that is not reality for so much of the world. I know that a single lunch for the kids at school is $2.85. (I only have one who would ever even think about buying school lunch.)So, just one lunch would put our entire family over the $2/day limit.
ReplyDeleteAs I think of loving my neighbor, I'm reminded of a story in the novel I just read, The Help. The rich white women would treat their maids horribly as they were planning the event to raise money for the starving children in Africa. How ironic. It makes you disgusted as you read this. But do we ever drive by our neighbors in need as we head to World Vision to help the world? It is sometimes easier to raise money for the children in Africa than it is to help our neighbor who might annoy us. I pray that I take time to truly know my neighbors - the people God has placed in my life.
ReplyDeleteI think loving as Jesus did involves a personal connection with someone. Looking them in the face and smiling, touching their hand, helping them better their situation, and praying for them.
ReplyDeleteFor us women, I think it is more difficult to help those we see that need help. We wouldn't pull over and offer a ride to a stranger and offer to buy them lunch - it wouldn't be safe. That personal contact is something I don't know how to do, its easier to give money or help with fundraising. Maybe this class will help me be more face-to-face with the caring and loving.