Your neighbors

Love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18).

The world used to be a pretty big place. Going any distance from home was hard and time-consuming; information could only travel as fast as a boat could sail or a horse could run. Most people had little knowledge of anything further away than the horizon.

Modern technology has changed things dramatically. You can get to most cities within a day or two by air. You can see what’s happening in distant places by turning on the television or opening a web browser. Cell phones let you talk to other people at the push of a button, regardless of where they are.

The world has shrunk. Up until recently, your world revolved around the people you saw at school, at work, at the store and at church. You knew who they were, what they were up to, and what problems they were dealing with. If they were in need, you’d find some way to help them out. But the rest of the world was filled with strangers—people you knew existed, but had no real interest in.

Things have changed. You have friends and acquaintances all over the world, people you call and text and chat with on the Internet. You order supplies from sales reps in other states and get technical support from people living across the ocean. You know what’s going on in the Gaza Strip, in Baghdad, and in China.

Jesus said that we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. In this global village that we live in, your neighbor could be right next door or living on the other side of the planet. If you know them, if they are a part of your life, they are your neighbor. You have an obligation to love them as you love yourself.

That doesn’t mean that we have to send troops to protect them. That doesn’t mean we have to send millions of dollars in foreign aid. That doesn’t mean we have to adopt their children. But it does mean we should pray for them. It does mean that we look for ways to share Jesus with them. The best gift you can give a friend is an introduction to Christ, because God’s Son can give good things far beyond our means—chief among them forgiveness, hope, and eternal life. We live in small world, and you are surrounded by neighbors—how many of them need your prayers on their behalf?