Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Where Are You Planted?

An article in the March 12, 2011 issue of World Magazine changed my thinking. This is not particularly unusual as each issue generally has several thought provoking pieces. The one that caused my thinking to shift this time was titled "News of the Neighborhood." The subtitle summarizes the content of the article. "Journalism isn't--as recently reported--dying; it's going local." Praise the Lord! Maybe we will now have more personal, interesting, and encouraging reporting of news.There are so many wonderful and inspiring stories happening in smaller local settings. These stories seem to get lost in the "big time" news. No wonder we are becoming a seemingly cynical society. Journalism reports the sensational or the horrifying because that is all that sells on a national level. However, locals love to hear about locals. The loss of local journalism partially has been a result of modern conveniences.

I love my modern conveniences--central heating and air, 4-lane highways, comfortable cars, computers, cell phones, texting, Facebook, television, easy access to several department and grocery stores with multiple options to meet my every need.However, I have become more and more concerned with how we as humans are not connecting with each other in any meaningful way. Yes, we have hundreds of acquaintances, but how many true friends. How many of us actually know the names of our closest neighbors? Even if we do know their names, do we know anything about them--about what makes them tick, their needs?

"The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Galatians 5:14 NIV

The article in World gave examples of how websites are being used by local journalists to inform citizens of what is happening in their communities. How refreshing! It is so much easier to love your neighbor when you know about them, when you become invovled in community activities with them, when you share the same concerns. How better to produce a safe environment for families than to interact and influence our neighbors as they watch us live our our faith in Christian love?What better way to be an effective witness for our Lord and Savior?

"But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." Psalm 1:2-3 NIV

So where has God planted you? Do you delight in being involved in your community? Do you look for ways to show Christian love to your neighbors?

Lord,show me how to be a good neighbor. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, give me the strength and wisdom to love my neighbors as you would have me do. May your name be glorified through me. Use me, Lord.

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