 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Introduction:Changing
Women, Changing Worlds
Derek Poole
Comment
Ruth Hutchinson
From
the Directors
David McMillan
Changing
Women, Changing Worlds: The Question of Women
Fran Porter
Review...Delightfully
Subversive
Cheryl Reid
Review...Opportune
Linda McClaughlin
Faith
and Practice...Christine Bell
Ruth
Hutchinson
Antjie
Krog
Peter Stark
Review...Thought
Provoking
Myrtle Hill
Review...Smashing
Clerical Complacency
Malachi O'Doherty
GOOD
NEIGHBOURS
“Who
is my neighbour?” This question was asked of Jesus by a lawyer. Luke
tells us that he asked in order to justify himself. Presumably, he already
had a definition in mind and wanted Jesus to reinforce his racialist,
elitist lifestyle. I have been asking myself the same question, but not
for the same reason. It’s just over six months since I moved into
my new house and I find myself thinking, “Who are these people with
whom I share the street? What are they like?”
Does it matter that I know who my neighbours are? I have lived in other houses where we spoke to virtually no one. We kept to ourselves, never socialising, talking only when we happened to meet. It’s the way most people live these days. We’ve lost our sense of community.
Evangelicals have a poor record of community involvement. Reserve is in-built; we tend to keep ourselves apart. Our prime motive in speaking to strangers is to evangelise them. Evangelism is not the only legitimate reason to befriend a neighbour. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells us we, the light of the world, bring glory to God through our good works. In Acts 10 we read about Dorcas, whose death devastated her community because she had been full of good works and acts of charity. This challenges me. Would anyone in my street miss me if I was suddenly removed? Would they even know that I loved and served God?
How do we communicate love to our neighbours? At the very least we must get to know who they are. It’s an effort. It’s easier to stay behind our own doors and observe without contact. We can even pray for them without contact. The Lord challenges us to take risks, open our homes and hearts to them and try to show interest in their concerns.
Back to the Bible story. The Lord told the lawyer that, while his primary love must be for God, he must also love his neighbour as well as he loved himself. He went on to tell the story of a ‘good’ Samaritan, where the most unexpected passer by was the only one to show love. He was of a different race and religion, and social convention demanded that Jews were shunned. However, this did not stop him. He not only administered first aid but sacrificed time and money to ensure the victim’s full recovery.
We must consider whether we have become like the lawyer in the gospel story, seeking ways to reinforce our racialist, elitist lifestyle. A commitment to peace, justice and reconciliation is not an optional extra for the Christian but a biblical imperative. We tend to live in communities of folk who are of the same ‘religion’ and mindset. The command to love people of ‘the other sort’ has been buried under mountains of suspicion, prejudice and fear. ECONI’s objective is … ‘to equip Christians to address community division in Northern Ireland and play their part in the long-term task of peace building’. The road ahead is long and probably rough – like the one that runs from Jerusalem to Jericho. Our only hope is that Paul’s wish for the Thessalonians is granted to us.
May the Lord make
your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else.
(1 Thess 3:12)
Ruth Hutchinson
Assistant Editor
 |
||
 |
 |
|