August 21, 2006
Treated Like a Queen
My 89 year-old neighbor fell down, and after a few days of misdiagnosis, it was discovered that she’d broken her back. Gwen is a widow and her only living relatives are two cousins in their 70’s living hundreds of miles away. In the world’s eyes she is not my responsibility, but God keeps bringing Scripture to my mind. There are all those verses about ‘neighbors’, and of course the Good Samaritan. Then there is the big one… “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27 NIV. After being admitted to the hospital Gwen called and left me the first voice mail. Giggling she said, “They’re treating me like a queen! I have a phone, a TV and I can order anything I want to eat by just picking up the phone. I’m having French toast for breakfast…and don’t forget to pick up my mail.” When additional phone calls began giving me instructions, I began leaving voice mails for God telling Him all the reasons I can’t be a fulltime care-giver to my neighbor. Eventually I heard God saying, “Did I ask you to be a ‘fulltime’ care-giver?” OK God…, for right now I can pick up her mail, take in the newspaper and share in her excitement of the queenly treatment she’s receiving…but is it really necessary to visit with her three times a day?
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2 comments:
Gail;
----For many years I wondered exactly what group of people the Bible meant by "neighbor", when it reads, "Love your neighbor as yourself." It is an important question, because there are some people one would rather not consider a neighbor. Moreover, there are some times when loving seems not to be an option. But a while back an old rock-and-roll tune of the sixties came to my mind and sparked one of those aha-experiences that has continued to attach more insights to my spiritual life.
----Although "Love the One Your With" was a vile tune promoting immorality, when it crossed my mind with the thought of "love thy neighbor" I immediately realized that my neighbor is whoever is beside me at the moment, the one I am with. How sweet and enjoyable life can be if we could learn an automatic response of care, interest, and acknowledgment for the person in our nearest proximity, for that short moment of time.
----I think one of God's ways of selecting us to do a particular service for Him is simply by where we are at and who is nearby with a need. But thankfully, the Bible does draw some protective boundaries around us, lest we be consummed by the service to our neighbors' needs. There is the concept of giving according to our means that should prevent the bighearted man from giving away the bank. There is another concept of gifts of the Spirit that has more to do with what you have to give rather than how much you have. And finally, there is the old "pearls before the pigs" concept that more often exposes our biases than it exposes those to whom we should really not be generous.
----I hate to say it, Gail, but it kinda sounds like you've been called. How fast do you suppose you could introduce her to some of the others in the neighborhood?
OK Steve…Not what I wanted to hear! Actually there are a couple others in the mix and we’ll all do what we can. I do know God will provide for her needs, but not necessarily for her wants.
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