"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34 & 35
A new commandment? The command to love has been in place since Old Testament times. So what changed? Why is this a "new" command? One of the biggest differences is that the command has changed from loving our neighbor as ourselves, to loving each other as Christ loves us.
What does it mean to love as Christ? It means to love in a way that will sacrifice everything, even life, for the welfare of another. Christ left all the glory of heaven to live in all the discomfort of earth. So that he could die. We don't even have to do that. But we should look for ways to love others that will cost us something.
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothed you? And when did we see sick or in prison and visit you?' And the king will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
We are commanded to love and then I believe he tells us in this passage who we are to love. We are to love those who are considered lower than us. We are to love the poor, the sick, the criminals, the homeless. Instead, most of the time we just pass them by without thought, without meeting their needs. It's not that we usually ignore them on purpose. It's worse because we don't even see them.
My prayer is that God will give me eyes to see everything that I miss. To make the things that seem small in my world bigger. That I would care but not just a passing I feel bad kind of way, but that I would help.
So, here's what I want to do. In the next four weeks I want to work and raise as much money as I can. (My goal is $300.) Then I want to take the money and go shopping, (the really fun part) for things that are needed by the Pregnancy Resource Center. You can help and be a part of my mission. Hire me to work for you. I'll do a great job and you can help me love the ones who sometimes get forgotten or ignored. Here are some things I can do:
House Cleaning:
baseboards
ceiling fans
washing doors and walls,
organizing closets, shelves, cabinets, etc.
Regular housecleaning chores like sweeping, mopping, dusting and vacuuming
Yard Work:
raking and bagging leaves
weeding
mowing (mower must be provided)
Child Care:
babysitting
Miscellaneous Things:
dog washing
car washing
Personal Assistant:
For three hours I will assist you with any task not already listed.
Your time...your choice.
I will not set a specific fee. Instead, you may decide what my work is worth and how much you are able to contribute to my goal. Thank you for being a part of this with me! I look forward to working for you!
