It’s easy for me to leave my house, get in my car, and drive into my day and forget that there are people with a real life and a real story behind the 18 doors I pass before leaving my neighborhood. So, I’m like many of you who don’t work and live in the same neighborhood or local community. We travel. Much of our lives are in a place and space outside of our homes and neighborhoods. When I think of the story Jesus shares in Luke 10 about the Good Samaritan, I wonder how much I am like the priest or Levite who frequently traveled the road and didn’t engage or even stop when they saw the man who was stripped and wounded along the way. Jesus goes on to explain how the story illustrates not only that our neighbor is every person along the way of life, but also that being a neighbor is to give mercy. It’s important to say that Jesus is the true Good Samaritan who heals our wounds and clothes us with love when we are naked and afraid. Jesus then says, “go and do likewise”. In other words, this is what it means to love God, love people, and live like Jesus… know your neighbors and generously give them the mercy of Jesus. And we know that it is Jesus’ mercy that changes people from the inside out. Jesus’ wants all of his neighbors to experience His mercy through His body, the church (that’s you and me). That's why the second of our three priorities is to be the best neighbors by personally knowing, caring for, and serving our immediate neighbors. Here are three ways we can begin doing that.
Vision is always caught more than taught, so I'd love to engage with and listen to what excites you about what "being the best neighbors" means to you. Please email me at pastortim@oslc.com, or let's connect over coffee or tea. Next week, I’ll wrap up our What’s Next series focusing on how we can champion leaders of all generations together.
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Pastor Tim Meet Pastor TimTim Bayer has served as Our Savior's Lead Pastor since September 2019. He also serves as an Adjunct Instructor at Concordia University - Irvine, a National Leadership Facilitator and Resource, and with the Northwest District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Archives
September 2024
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