“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 that he was a blessing to someone who needed a little help.
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 they left the store that day, they left with far more than a new pair of shoes. They had new friends.
Our community is filled with people that we do not know. Our community is filled with the possibility of new friends and a chance to bless others. If we will keep our eyes and ears open as we encounter our neighbors, we will all find the opportunity to make new friends and be a blessing.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
