An English yachtsman sailing in the Caribbean, 4,000 miles from home, lost his mast in a storm. He had been adrift for 2 days, and was taking water in 20-foot waves, when his desperate SOS was picked up. According to Ananova news service, 90 minutes later he was rescued by the captain of a 116,000-ton superliner.
Only when he was pulled out of the water did the rescued sailor discover that the captain who had responded to his call for help was a neighbor from his Hampshire village of Warsash. The rescued man later asked, What are the chances of being rescued in the middle of nowhere by your neighbor?
Jesus saw neighbors in unlikely places. When an expert in Jewish law asked Him to define the neighbor we are to love, Jesus drew a big circle. He told the story of a merciful Samaritan to show that a neighbor is the friend, stranger, or enemy who needs the help we can give (Luke 10).
To distinguish ourselves as Jesus people, we need to show kindness even to those who wish us harm (Luke 6:32-34). Only then will we reflect the heart of the One who, while we were still His enemies, paid the ultimate price to come to our rescue.
G’mornin’ Rus!
Don’t get to see you in “real time” too often lately...
hope you and yours have a lovely weekend. Is it beginning
to warm up a bit there?
Thanks for the lesson from God’s Word. I consider all my
FReeper friends MY neighbors!