Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Luke 6:31

It’s the Golden rule, right? We’ve heard it since we were children, seen it written on plaques, and recited it to others. These are the words of Jesus to us, his followers about how we are to treat each other.

Often it is easy to dismiss the needs of those whom we have never met face to face.  It’s understandable. We may not feel a personal relationship with them. We are sabotaged daily with media input. Sometimes its overwhelming. We see needs all around us, and yet we can feel so distanced from it. Images on our screens do not seem to connect with real humanity in the same way they would if we were learning of stories of people in our own neighborhood, or our own community. It is hard to imagine that someone could see his neighbor diligently working, but unable to provide food, clothing or basic necessities for his children and yet go on his way dismissing his neighbor’s plight.  Yet the plight of families around the world is just as desperate, and we can do something about it. We can act. We can share the blessings God has imparted to us and we can show the love of Christ to our neighbors, even those neighbors across the globe. Mark 12:30-31
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”