Supportive Articles On Helping One's Neighbor
FROM
A READER
All items on IHNM's web site are for the use of "the church." All we ask is that your material refers to IHNM's web site, or gives our name and address. |
We
know our rule of life should be the Golden Rule. In the New Testament
one writer called it the Royal Law Of Love. Ephesians 2:10 says God
created his people to spend their lives loving others. When
we keep turning to God, he will lead us into this path of righteous living.
But things create roadblocks on this path of righteousness. THINGS! Poor people contact IHNM, Inc., every day. Circumstances have confounded them. Their need is an opportunity to glorify God by demonstrating His love. They are like the wounded man on the Jericho Road in the Bible. They need a Good Samaritan response. Often, however, clients say that church after church has turned them down. This ministry can name only a dozen out of the 800 churches in our community who have an outreach to the poor. Sometimes staff persons have been rude to the poor who contact them. The persons who Christ wants the church to love, have instead been injured. The church teaches, "love your neighbor as yourself." Every church has to "say this." But if it costs money, or if the "neighbors" request interrupts daily routines, the real rule of conduct comes out. It's okay NOT to love your neighbor if costs more than you want to give. Whatever happened to sacrificial giving? Does this only apply to the church's building fund? |