Many of us are fairly familiar with the Nextdoor social media site that allows us to be in touch with what’s happening in our own neighborhood. I find it entertaining, often annoying, and occasionally pretty helpful. Once I helped a neighbor locate a missing pet. Recently someone found a pillow from my porch that had blown down our street two blocks. I was also alerted to some car break-ins that reminded me, “always lock your car doors!” Neighbors helping neighbors. Sometimes the rhetoric slips into lectures, fear mongering and negative commentary. The good news; as quickly as someone puts forth a bad vibe, someone else is quick to the rescue with support and a positive spin. For the most part, it’s worth reading on occasion.
About a week ago, I saw a posting about a homeless woman in our neighborhood and as soon as I began to read the story – I knew the story. I was quite familiar with the woman described. I knew her habits and the tales she told. I knew her armloads of bags and trail of shopping carts. My history with her had gone back for a long time as she was, for many years, a regular at a store that I worked at. Our paths had crossed for good and bad on several occasions and my compassion and frustration with her was deep. As the day went on, I saw many more posts and additions to the story, and I wanted to add my own cautionary tale. Instead, I continued to read the posts of my neighbors. Many had their own stories and theories about this woman as well, and a few offered up advice and admonition about the homeless population in general. However, what struck me the most was the grace, concern, and offers of help that came pouring in through that online community. One by one, people began asking where they could find her, bring her food, and offer shelter – a general response of love and protection for this person that was a neighbor just like everyone else. I appreciated that the majority of those commenting were trying to find ways to love and care for this neighbor that they didn’t really know, and not to chastise or judge her behavior.
I was reminded of the words in Matthew 25:40-45: The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ They also will answer, ‘LORD, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
Let’s all put action to our words and find ways to be there, just as a good neighbor should.
– Lori Hall, Executive Director of Missions
