“The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:31
Lito Mason was in a local retail store, shopping for some new shoes. He was minding his own business when he overheard 11-year-old Zach and his mother talking about a new pair of tennis shoes. Zach desperately needed a new pair, but his mom, a single mother of two, did not have a great deal of money to spend. Zach assured his mother he did not want to spend a lot of money, but he really needed a new pair of shoes because the soles of his tennis shoes were falling off.
When Lito overheard this discussion, he wanted to help. He struck up a conversation with Zach. He asked Zach what kind of shoes he wanted. Zach said, “I just need a comfortable pair.” Lito knew that this was a young man that he wanted to help. With permission, Lito asked Zach to pick out whatever pair he wanted and told him not to worry about the cost. He and Zach had a great time picking out a new pair of shoes.
This time in the store was a blessing for Lito and Zach’s family. Zach received something that his family could not afford, and Lito received the blessing of knowing he helped someone in need.
As Zach and his mother left the store, Zach said to her, “Mom, I can’t believe he helped us like that.” What Lito was doing was simply being a good neighbor. He overheard someone in need and Lito had the ability to do something about it. When Zach and his mom left the store that day, they left with far more than a new pair of shoes. They left knowing that love and hope were a very real thing.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
