Who’s Your Neighbor?

If you haven’t heard Michael Oher’s story, you are in for a treat (ESPN video). Mr. Oher grew up homeless as 1 of 16 children and quit school to avoid being placed into foster care. A neighbor helped Mr. Oher become enrolled at a local Christian school in spite of concerns of his 0.6 GPA. Mr. Oher was walking from school in shorts and a t-shirt in the snow one day when the Tuohy family stopped and began to take him in gradually…first clothes, meals, and spending the night a few times per week…eventually leading to the Tuohy family adopting Mr. Oher. Mr. Oher blossomed in this loving environment boosting his GPA to 2.65 and being recruited to a SEC football program. Mr. Oher’s football career at Ole Miss was so successful that he was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of this year’s NFL draft.

If something like this sounds familiar, it should. Jesus provided the parable of the Good Samaritan to answer an expert in Jewish law who asked, “…who is my neighbor?” This parable shows us that offering God’s love and mercy to others is more important than rules for religion’s sake (Luke 10:29-37). Also, a lame man had 4 friends who knew he needed to meet Jesus (Mark 2:2-12). They climbed up to the roof since the house was already full and opened a hole big enough to lower their friend down to meet Jesus. Jesus healed the man’s soul in addition to giving him the ability to walk (talk about hitting the jackpot!).

Unfortunately, we will come up against naysayers when we are obedient to God’s desire for us to show His love and grace to others. Other parents at the school Mr. Oher attended asked why they would let a black man live under the same roof as their white daughter. Similarly, some people questioned Jesus for healing a man on the Sabbath (Mark 3:1-5).

Neighbors are NOT defined by location, class, or status. If God has specially and wonderfully made someone to exist, that person is of great value. He tells us that he will come look for the 1% even if 99% are still in their place (Matthew 18:12-14). So, let’s extend God’s grace and love to our neighbors regardless of the consequences from others.

Don't Give Up...Don't Ever Give Up

Some of you may have noticed that ESPN has been running events and promos highlighting the Jimmy V foundation during the past couple of weeks. Jim Valvano, or Jimmy V as he is more affectionately called, was the head coach of the NC State team that pulled a miraculous upset over Hakeem Olajwon and the University of Houston to win the 1983 national championship in basketball. The jubilation and excitement was evident as Jimmy V danced across the court. This normally would be the thought of as the greatest moment in a head coach's career. Jimmy V was not your normal basketball coach. His last mission after being diagnosed with cancer was to start a foundation to help save lives by helping find cures for cancer. His speech from the 1993 ESPY awards program still plays 15 years later on national TV and has millions of hits on YouTube. Cancer didn't defeat Jimmy V....it gave him focus for his passion and his perseverance created a lasting legacy.

Hearing Jimmy V's famous speech, my thoughts can't help but to turn to Philippians 3:13-14 "...Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Acts 20:24 teaches us a similar lesson in regards to focus "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to God's grace." If we can stay passionate in our focus for sharing God's grace, then we can say like Paul at the end of his life "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).

So, what can we do to press on and finish the race strong? Well, we can be prepared through: 1) staying in constant communication with God through prayer, 2) reading the playbook (Bible), 3) spending time in the video room (remembering what God has done in our own lives), and 4) having a group of mentors/friends that provide God-guided counsel. Utilizing these tools to be solidly prepared, we can more fully understand God's love and grace and share why no one should ever want to be separate from God. As we are in the midst of the Christmas season, do you know of someone who needs to know God's love more? What good words will you have for them?