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.
Loading Content...
Share a Link to this Message
The link has been copied to your clipboard; paste it anywhere you would like to share it.
Jesus said this about judgement:
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. (Matthew 7:1-5 ESV)
This is one of the best known, but most misunderstood and abused sayings of Jesus.
Often people will quote this passage to suggest Jesus says no one should ever judge anyone else. It makes it seem like Jesus was saying to turn a blind eye to injustice, brokenness, hurt in our world.
One take on why people quote this passage, is that when we see other people hurting, we often love ourselves too much to tell the truth…we want no pain for ourselves so we let others hurt, and use this as an excuse.
Jesus is not saying there should be no courts of law, no one should help another person out of a bad situation they don’t recognize.
How do we know? He judged.
Right in this passage, he spoke about hypocrites. He expected his followers to judge, discern, too. In the Sermon on the Mount, he told them to be more righteous than Pharisees. Later, he speaks about false prophets. He wants his followers to see the difference - to judge.
You can also see, right here in this passage, he commands his followers to engage in judgement: to be aware when there is a speck in someone’s eye.
So what's the difference, between good judgement and bad judgement? Good judgement is to see truth, then speak the truth in love. A healthy critique based on standards we can both recognize and try to follow is okay.
As Paul said in Romans 14:4: Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. (Romans 14:4 ESV)
The problem is when people go looking to judge others by standards they don’t keep. This turns to harsh self-righteousness, as if we are becoming the master of others.
We all do it – if someone criticizes us – we will immediately look for a way to criticize them.
We'll see more tomorrow, but first,
Question: What is difference between critique and judgement?
