By Charles Empey

I saw Him just yesterday.  He was mowing a Senior Citizen’s yard.

Another day, I saw Him helping a homeless person. 

Then there was that day I saw Him driving people to medical appointments.

Oh, then there was that day I saw Him taking meals to the sick and the shut-ins.

He stood at a City Council Meeting and spoke to the care and safety of our fellow citizens.

Some people seem to think that the place to see Jesus is at one of His churches on Sunday or a special service, but if that is the only place our communities see Him, He’ll be missed by 100s and more. 

Church should be attended by every Christian, but that attendance should minister to them in a way that they want to take Jesus to their family, neighbors and throughout the town.

You don’t have to preach to your neighbors and family and other factions of town.  You just have to live His life before them and in their life wherever you can be a blessing to them.

The interesting thing about our hurting society is that it knows when the love of Christ is touching them, even if they don’t know His name. 

They are experiencing something loving from Jesus in you and embraces it.  You keep doing that and that person or people will eventually ask you, why?  Then the name of Jesus can be mentioned for His glory. 

Jesus is always watching His neighbors and loving them and watching where He can be a blessing to them, even those who are His enemies.

He prayed for them and told us to pray for them.  Prayer for others will set your heart in “Jesus” tune to reach out to others.

Jesus gave an account in the book of Luke Chapter 10 of the account of a Samaritan who had His heart about others, fellow citizens.

A man had been attacked on the road by thieves, who stripped him of his clothing and injured him, leaving him half dead. A priest came by and saw him, but went to the other side of the road, avoiding helping this man. 

Then another man came past, and he also went to the other side of the road, leaving the injured neighbor in his condition. 

Selfishness reigned in those men’s hearts, but a Samaritan came and when he saw the injured man, he had compassion on him and went to him and attended to his wounds and set him on his donkey and brought him to a hotel and paid for the injured man’s care and told the innkeeper that if it costs more than that when leaves that he will pay the rest on his trip back.

Jesus related this account of neighborly care to us to teach us His heart about taking care of people in need. 

Most of us will never have to do something so extreme, but God is not looking for extreme action of care for others on our part, just paying attention and not shirking our Christian duty to those around us. 

Be Jesus today to someone.  Our town will be richer for it.

 

Charles Empey is Pastor of Cove Baptist Church, Orange, Texas