The neighbour I should have Loved

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matt 25:40

The verse that Jesus said above is meant for us to love our neighbour. Who is our neighbour? We all ask that same question. To our family, friends, neighbour, higher status, beggars, strangers, etc we called them OUR neighbours. When we say OUR, do we really mean it to be closest to our own hearts? That any point of time, we treat them just as how we treat ourselves? Or to put it in a Biblical context: "Love your neighbour as yourself"? Then following it says,

“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matt 25:45-46

If we didn't treat our neighbours as He commanded, the consequences will be eternal punishment. Now do we really want that? Yet unknowingly, daily, we have put ourselves for eternal punishment whether you know or you unintentional don't know.

This morning as I was waiting in the car while my dad went for marketing, an old lady came and knock the window. I wind down the car window a lil as being in my country, safety isn't secured. She told me that she walked over to get something and she was in rush. And now she is very hungry and can I spare her some dollars. In my nature, I knew this was a scam. I quickly told her that I didn't have money and kindly "drove" her away. As I see her approached car by car, person by person, it got me thinking to the verse I've mentioned above. She is a stranger. I do not know her. But she was in need (whether its the truth or not), she came to me in need. And yet I didn't help her, instead (in a harsh way), I chase her away. I had my sandwich with me. Even if I didn't want to give her some money, I could at least offered my sandwich. If she is telling the truth, she would take my offer. If she isn't telling the truth, then she'll walk away and I at least have "earn" a credit by offering my sandwich.

Yet the question is this: What would Jesus do?

 If Jesus was here, this is what I think He'll do. He'll get down from the car. Give all her some (or maybe all) money, give her the sandwich and even more, give her a hug. And He'll probably even give her a ride home. Even when He knows she is lying and tricking and putting Him into a scam... He will still love unconditionally.

Now can we do such thing? Can we love unconditionally? Can we go out of our human "security" nature and just love? It's like stepping on a stone tablet on a water. Do we take the risk and step on it (not knowing whether will it sustain you or make you fall) to go to the other side or do we take a longer but secure route? Are we willing to take the road less traveled? Jesus would do what many other wouldn't do. He will always choose LOVE. This is why it is His love, it is His mercy that is new every morning, unfailing is He. It is His grace. It is His presence that never fails to be there.

"For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matt 7:2

I guess I have learned my lesson. Next time, if there is a need, even if they ask for dollars, I will learn to give and ask for no return. Coz' by the end of the day, I didn't lose anything. Yes I might have lost some dollars but really, does it matter?

To lose dollars or To choose Love is not a question. It is a choice.