If we don’t care for our neighbors, who will?

As I am preparing for my next sermon, (It will have already been delivered by the time you read this) I am impressed by John the Baptist. Not only was he an evangelist and prophet, but he had a great understanding of the human psyche. You can see what I am talking about in Luke 3:7-18.

The thing that got my attention was not the whole “brood of vipers” thing. It was the questions the tax collectors and soldiers asked. After John finished preaching, they asked, “What should we do?”

Spoiler Alert! John told the tax collectors to collect no more than the amount prescribed for you. He told the soldiers to be satisfied with their pay and stop making threats and extorting money. The funny thing is, they already knew the answer before they asked the question.

I have found in my years of ministry; most people know the answers to those questions before they even ask. “What must I do when I see someone hungry?” “How do we stop the hate, or crime?” “How do we get people back to church.” The questions go on and on, and quite frankly, you know what we must do.

Here we are approaching the Nativity season and looking forward to the return of Christ, and after 2000 years, we still ask what we need to do. I have a hint for you, it is all wrapped up in the three Commandments. Love God, Love Neighbor and Love one another. If you want to know what to do, then look there.

We need to stop asking and just start doing. People are hurting, they need comfort. People are lost, they need direction. People are hungry, they need to be fed.

Most of all, people need hope. The church should be full of those who can fulfill all their needs and add hope to them.

Folks, if you are reading this article, you already know what needs to be done. So why aren’t we doing it? Why are we not feeding, and clothing and sheltering the poor? Why are we not helping and guiding and teaching? Why are we not offering hope?

Well, only you can answer those questions.

The reality is, deep down in your heart, you, and I both know what we need to do. If we truly love God and our neighbor, then there really isn’t an excuse for our neighbor to suffer. Think about it.

In another story of the rich young ruler. (Luke 18:18-30) he asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. The young man knew the answer, and I suspect when Jesus told him to sell everything, it just confirmed his fears. He went away sad because he didn’t think he could do it.

You and I both know what we need to do for Christ and his Kingdom. Maybe it’s time to stop asking for directions and just do what is necessary. Besides if we don’t, who will?

See you in church.

Rev. Kent Wilfong is the pastor at the United Methodist Church, Doniphan/Neelyville.