We all have our reasons or excuses for not caring for others… here are a few of them — hopefully debunked.
- I’m too busy. You’re only as busy as you allow yourself to be. If you can find time to watch the football, basketball or baseball game each week — you can find time to help a neighbor.
- My neighbors are scary. I’m afraid they might hurt me if I try to help them. How many stories have your heard of someone getting roughed up because they offered to help someone else? They’re very few and far between (if any). Showing love to someone has a way of changing their hearts and mindset towards you.
- They told me they don’t need my help. Perhaps they don’t but more than likely, their pride gets in the way of accepting help. Offer to pray for them. Bring them a tray of homemade cookies one day. Pick up their newspaper and bring it to their door for them. Break down the walls with smaller things and then see where it goes from there.
- I already give a check to XYZ non-profit once a month. That’s great! But I doubt all that money goes to helping your neighbor. What if in addition to giving to the non-profit you took some real time to get your hands dirty by helping someone else? Let your neighbor really see you being present in their lives. Let them see the compassion flow through you.
- Someone else will take care of them. Maybe. But it’s doubtful. There’s always something you can do to show care and compassion.
- I don’t have any special skills I can offer. You likely have two ears. Sometimes all a person really needs is someone willing to listen. No judging. No pointing fingers. No pointing out errors or trying to fix the situation. Just someone who will listen and let them know their stories, opinions and thoughts matter.
- They deserve to be in their predicament. Really? And you don’t? It would seem to me that we’re all just one small mistake or tragedy from losing it all or heading down the same path as others.
- They’re just a bunch of drunks or drug abusers. I’d help them but they’ll just go right back to doing what they were doing before. Love has a strange way of overcoming. Just listen to Kari McHam’s story, or Brad Vanderburg’s story, or read Mark Horvath’s blog, InvisiblePeople.tv. And besides, regardless of whether people respond as you expect them to — that’s not up to you. We’re called to love our neighbors regardless.
But what about you? What excuse do you have for not caring for your neighbors?
