Connecting Life with Faith: Loving your neighbor today

The commandment to " Love your neighbor as yourself", is familar to every Christian at some level.  At the time it was written it was very clear.  People knew who their neighbors were.   People who were physically present in the same general area or location that they were. 

So let`s look at the world today with the fast developing social media networks and expansion of the digital world. We can connect to so many people in so many different locations.  Now the challenge of determining to "love your neighbor" becomes different from before.

To love somebody we need to understand them, we need time to know them.  Certainly we can demonstrate love through sacrifice when given the opportunity to any person but most of the time we are loving people as we get to know them, as we listen to them and understand who they are.

So think about the potential neighbors you have at the end of your fingertips on FACEBOOK or TWITTER, we are talking about millions of potetial connections, millions of "neighbors"one could argue.

It`s quite overwhelming to think about.  So what`s the alternative???  Focus on those whom you physically can interact with?

I ask these questions not because I know the answers but I want people to think about the subject. 

We are about to enter a new decade.  A decade with possibilities that we couldn`t have imagined.  So as Christians we must be able to wisely apply the Word of God to the world we live in, the world that we wake up to each day.

This is the world God has made and it is growing and developing in this way for a reason.  How do you envision loving your neighbor today?  And in the days to come? 

We all love in different styles and different ways.  We are unique in our expressions and actions of love. In this coming generation we have an advantage.  Our social territories and influence will continue to expand and with it the potential to extend that love to neighbors all around the world.

Just a thought....and a prayer....God help me to love my "neighbors" in whatever way in whatever place they may be.