Love Your Neighbor

Last night I wept. I wept for those who are being broken by their circumstances right now. I wept for those who fear how they will support their families. I wept for those burying loved ones, some of whom they did not get to farewell. I wept for a world who is hurting in unimaginable ways. I wept and then I prayed.

Even in the face of all of this, life is still continuing. Babies are being born, people are getting married and others are taking their last breath. Life doesn’t stand still even when something like this happens, life goes on and so must we.

Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”

I’m a Pro-Life advocate and a trained crisis pregnancy counselor. That means a good part of what God has called me to do is to step into someone’s crisis and walk with them. It’s probably one of the greatest privileges of my life, to have someone trust their greatest vulnerabilities with me. I feel honored when I meet a woman I can help. Right now, I see such a need for crisis intervention in the lives of so many, and this is the call of every Christian. We can help them one by one if we look past our own circumstances, trust God to provide the way and take a step of faith to reach out to them.

1 Peter 3:8 “Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tender hearted, and keep a humble attitude.”

We have never been given a greater opportunity to reach our neighbors with the love of Christ. I pray that we have soft hearts, hearts of empathy and compassion. It’s easy to allow crisis to overcome us and to draw away, focus on self and our needs, but if you are in Christ, God will provide for you so that you can do the work He is calling you to do. This is the hour to be bold, to put on love and to embrace those within your reach. Let us mourn with those who mourn and celebrate with those who celebrate.

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

~St Teresa of Calcutta

(Written April 2, 2020)