The Real Deal

My neighbor shot a framing nail through his hand (between the knuckles) on his DIY project. He obviously could not do much for a while. What would you have done?

I have more than some experience in building projects. At that point the “what should I do?” is a dumb question.

Answers I have weeded out so far: 1) I’ll pray for you. 2) “What a bummer man” (yes we are products of the 70’s era). 3) Were you drinking again? 4) Well. I’ll put you on the church prayer chain (I might without his knowledge).

This is real life. I have an ongoing daily walk with God but my neighbor admits he personally does not like “religious people” for a long list of sad and real reasons. He likes us as neighbors and hopes our house does not sell so we stay put. So, how far does one go for his neighbor?

One of my favorite quotes by Francis Schaeffer; “The Bible is clear here: I am to love my neighbor as myself, in the manner needed, in a practical way, in the midst of the fallen world, at my particular point of history. This is why I am not a pacifist. Pacifism in this poor world in which we live — this lost world — means that we desert the people who need our greatest help.”

Consider this; I do not even consider “religious reasons” to be a factor in how I treat people. Let’s face it, we are who we are, and the core of our being is tested by those around us every day. Who are we and who are we becoming? Does what we say, do and post on social media draw people into becoming more like Jesus? Most everyone except for the religious flock liked Jesus.

If Christ lives in us, His unstoppable unimaginably infinite love will go to great lengths to shove our plans aside to help our neighbor in need.

Being a “spread it around” kind of guy is my spiritual gift. I enlisted some help. I asked a couple of guys (who are on the church prayer chain) to lend a hand. I scoured the neighborhood for a monster forklift as I felt my back would not like carrying the shingles up the long spindly ladder. I ended up getting a better ladder. Meanwhile, we had some great conversations and built trust that probably wouldn’t have happened any other way. Later on in the summer I started building my large shop, my neighbor right beside me. I would like to think this is in part who Christ wants me to be, and it turns out, quite a step in who Christ wants him to be.

        I thought of this verse when my neighbor came over with a DIY first aid bloody hand in the middle of his project.  Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you”. (Matthew 5:42)

Gary