This week is all about being great neighbours, particularly by showing compassion.  But what does it look like to show compassion for our neighbours?

Start at the beginning of this series.  We started with knowing names, then learning stories as acquaintances.  Those two things help us to know the needs of our neighbours.  Then we can find ways to help – near or far.

When someone near you has a new baby, we know they’ll be hungry and having a hard time cooking – maybe you can feed them for a day.  Or further from home, perhaps you can donate to the food banks at the Salvation Army or St. Paul’s on the Hill in Pickering.

When you walk by a homeless person in a heatwave, they are probably thirsty, perhaps you can offer to buy them a bottle of Gatorade or water.  Sit down with them as they drink it.  Or further from home, perhaps you can support water well drilling abroad.

When we see someone lonely in a room, standing alone, we can at least introduce ourselves, and help them get acquainted.  Or when someone moves to the neighbourhood, welcome them!  Further afield, maybe you can volunteer with a local service to immigrants, or an ESL class.

When we know someone can’t afford new clothes that fit, we can share our own, or go on a Value Village spree with them.  Or if you have clothes but don’t know who needs them, don’t wait for a garage sale, instead donate them to the Goodwill or Salvation Army thrift shop.

When someone is going through cancer treatment, or another illness, perhaps we can shovel or cut grass.  Or if you don’t know someone personally, the Cancer Society always needs volunteers who can drive people to appointments.

Finally, if you know someone in prison, perhaps you can visit them and make it clear you care for them as a human being loved by God.  Or if you don’t know someone in that situation, you could support a prison fellowship or another ministry to those who are incarcerated.

Whatever you start with, it’s a part of our calling as followers of Jesus to recognize his beloved creatures in trouble and show compassion.

It’s not about earning some reward – it’s simply part of kingdomliness, which is a reward in and of itself.

Challenge: In yesterday’s exercise, who of these six people in need did you say was hardest and easiest to show compassion for?  Plan a practical way to help the needs of both this week – either directly to someone near you, or indirectly as we’ve suggested.

Ryan Sim - October 10, 2013

Thursday - Act On It - Partners To Friends

Won\'t You Be My Neighbour?

This week we’ve been exploring the story of Levi meeting Jesus, and having a big party with his former partners in crime, now his friends. Jesus’s transformative effect brings Levi’s colleagues into a new friendship with Levi first, then that friendship brings his friends into contact with Jesus. It’s no different today, this is very reason we held an outdoor movie night. We brought a bunch of people together over a great feast of popcorn. Our online users met one another, and made some new friends. This app and web site is meant to be more than a transaction, more than something to watch/listen to. It’s meant to bring us into community. It’s meant to be made up of real people, in real community with one another. Obviously movie nights and apps are large scale. But it depends on the small scale. It depends on people like you. You can be a Levi. At parties, people mingle and meet, and often discover things in common. So, have some people over to dinner, see what happens. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Or maybe have a hockey watching party, a playdate, a block party, whatever your scene is. Through that kind of party, I hope you and some people you know and work with, or have helped, will become friends, and friends can talk about what really matters. When followers of Jesus are present in the room and real deep things of life come up, I think that’s when Jesus enters the conversation, just like at Levi’s table. When he throws a great feast, his partners in crime learn the money grubbing tax collector actually isn’t driven by money anymore, but now he’s driven by love for Jesus, which makes him love them. Imagine the transformative effect on their lives. More than that, they just met a Jewish rabbi who will actually eat and drink with them, get to know them, love them, despite the risks, rather than standing outside and shaking his head. So, go and show your neighbours the same! Learn their names, stories, needs, and then become friends. Challenge: Plan a party, big or small! Please tell me the story, I’d love to hear how it goes.

From Series: "Won't You Be My Neighbour?"

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