Love Thy Neighbor
Once we lived in this neighborhood with a long road that led to our home. On my ride home I noticed an elderly man sitting on his small porch there was hardly any room for the chair but, on nice days, there he sat. One day I decided to wave, and the man looked at me as if I was crazy. I laughed it off, but I was committed to continue to wave just to show that I noticed he was there and wanted to say hi. After a few weeks of waving, I no longer got the strange look he began to smile and give me a small wave back. As time went on I noticed that he would look for my car and wave before I could as I passed by. He was so happy to see me and greet me first.
One sunny day, as I drove by, I noticed the chair folded up in the corner of the porch. A few weeks past, and the folded chair remained. I wondered what kept him from sitting on the porch. Then a day came when the chair was no longer on the porch. I was saddened by the absence of my friend, and I didn't know we had our last wave.
Although I don't know his name or his story, he has touched my life in so many ways. Many times I thought I should stop and make a personal visit; however, I allowed time and other activities to steer me home and never got the chance to meet the man in the chair.
"...Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself..." Mark 12:31 I love that God put this commandment in His word. We are constantly given opportunities to love the people around us. There is no greater calling in this life than being the hands and feet of Jesus. Let's all take a moment to wave at our neighbor and get to know their story before it ends.
Dear Lord, give us the insight today to smile or wave or simply show love to the people that you have place around us. In a world that has become so scary help us to know the people that need your comfort and hope for their journey.