Whatever happened to my neighbor?

     In my 62 years of life I have had numerous neighbors.  The definition of who my neighbor is has changed over time as the world has changed.  However the definition God gives has never changed.  Growing up in a farming community as a child and then young adult, I learned that our neighbors were there when we needed them and likewise, we were there for them when they needed us.  We didn't do the 4th of July BBQ or get together's for fun.  But, if our cattle got out or their cattle got out we joined forces to bring them back into confinement.  Run out of gas?  Go to the closest neighbor and "borrow" some even if no one was home.  That's what neighbors do.  No one locked their doors or even took the keys from the vehicles.  No one was going to steal them or go into your house and take stuff.  Neighbors changed when I grew up and went into the military.  You slept beside your "neighbors" 40 to a building.  You counted on your neighbor in different ways than I previously enjoyed.  These men were there to defend the country and to stand alongside you as you did the same thing.  As a police officer my status as neighbor was both welcome and not desired.  Depending on what side of the law you were on.  We knew our neighbors but not necessarily their names.  You didn't loan things to neighbors you didn't know or trust.  Distance was present in those relationships.  Now I am living in the country and have 3 acres to roam.  I have neighbors and get along with them.  They have their lives and I have mine.  My interactions with people in a Biblical neighbor fashion is relegated to those at church, relatives some distance away and my local hardware store. 
     Jesus said that we should "love our neighbors as ourselves."  That's a far cry from what is present in most people's lives.  Yes, I pray for our neighbors.  The neighbor to my south is non-receptive while the neighbor on my north is open and friendly.  Which one do you think I focus my energy on?  The path of least resistance is what we choose in the world.  In the kingdom of God the choice is to choose the path of greatest resistance to the purpose and goal of God in their lives.  Christians usually take the path of least resistance.  My neighbors across the street are there and greet me and wave as they drive by.  I do the same thing.  The drug house down the block has adults outside frequently.  After a year and a half of waving to them they waved back for the first time yesterday!  They are the path of greatest resistance.  My next step is to get them to say hello to me.  I can't see the neighbors behind me because there are too many trees.  They are real trees but we also have imaginary forests that prevent us from seeing our neighbor in need.  My neighbor, according to the Bible, is everyone.  The need of my neighbor is the saving grace of Jesus and mercy God gives through the Son. 
     Our neighbor, then, is everyone.  How we interact with our neighbor is as individual as they are.  The same goes back to me from them.  We often forget that we have Christian neighbors who can and will bless us...if we let them.  We, like they, have no excuse to our lack of neighborliness.  Jesus told of the man who was robbed and left for dead in the ditch at the side of the road.  There were players in this scenario that covered the breadth of society.  We find ourselves there.  We may not like it but each of us should be the Samaritan.  We find excuses why we can't feed or clothe the homeless, rescue the defenseless, be a friend to the friendless.  In the end, that's all they are...excuses to not be Jesus to the world he has placed us in to be his witness.  The greatest commandment is to love God. The second commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself.  Do we love others as God has loved us?  Probably not.  God has lavishly placed his love upon us and blessed us more than we can contain.  Take an assessment of your life and your world.  Now compare it with your neighbor.  Then tell God you aren't able to love your neighbor.  Not the right choice.  God loves you and all mankind being willing to take the form of man, live among man and then be killed by man so that you can have the love of God.  What a great neighbor!
     Whether we love or not is our choice.  Whether we receive love or not is our choice.  Whether we give love or not is our choice.  What is your choice?