Who’s My Neighbor? By Marge Warder, Christian Writers Guild Member In Matthew 22, Jesus told His listeners, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” In Luke 10, Jesus has been teaching seventy disciples to go out by two’s because “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” At this harvest time, with soybeans recently gathered in and cornfields being picked and poured into waiting trucks, I’ve seen the ‘good neighbor story’ lived out. I’m re-telling it in farm neighbor/Christian brotherhood style, and at the request of participants, names of participants are withheld: |
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‘A humble and good man looked over his fields which were still heavy with grain and weekdays he ventured forth to bring in his crops with his usual grateful heart. But cancer lurked within his body and brought him down time and again, and though he rallied often, his strength was nearly spent. Times within his combine were shortened and his body required he rest at least as much as he worked. The fields held promises to help care for his family’s needs, and though he had both faith and resolve, he had to admit to his church family and to his closest neighbors that he could not bring in the harvest alone. ‘Behold, a neighbor said, “Let me organize the neighbors and friends for you,” and though it was hard to receive, the stricken farmer agreed. Soon the neighbor had more volunteers than he could use to help the good man, though their own fields, too, had grain waiting to be picked. ‘Behold, the man’s church and the church’s prayer group prayed for good weather and for protection of all who would help this good man in need. Others from other churches prayed, too, and behold, the Saturday for harvest was chilly but dry and sunny and the work could go forth as hoped. ‘Behold, neighbor ladies and the church’s stewardship chairwoman contacted cooks and bakers and servers so the combining crew could be fed. And behold, all who were contacted agreed to cook and bake and serve, and yet there were many who could be asked, but the chairwoman could save her times and her dimes because more than enough lunch food was gladly donated. And there were abundant rolls and chili and pie and relishes and crackers and chips. Earlier the grain elevator workers had delivered coffee and donuts to field workers. And behold, all ate their fill. But still, ladies carried around bags tied with twisties, urging workers to take extra cookies and cans of pop along for their afternoon of work. ‘Behold, parents of the stricken farmer donated their machine shed for the luncheon so all could be fed together. The brother also helped in many ways, though by now he was a banker by trade, for he loved his brother, too. And on that day, the parents’ yard was filled with trucks and cars and men and boys who had been working in the fields on at least six combines, five grain carts, and six trucks that could haul one thousand bushels to market at a time. The humble man, and his beloved wife, stood before those who’d gathered to help, each trying hard to say a page or a paragraph about how grateful they were for the fieldwork and the bountiful meal provided in their behalf, but they could only get out a quiet ‘Thank you.’ And their ‘Thank you’ was enough. For you see, all who gathered, whether a child thrilled to ride in a combine or older men whose eyes have seen harvest upon harvest in their many years, all of these were simply ‘neighbors.’ No praise or recognition were they seeking. They gathered because they loved their neighbor and his family, and because they understood what it means to truly be ‘a neighbor.’ Earlier, when no camera was present, they’d held fundraisers to help with medical expenses greater than one family can bear. Earlier pickers with the right combine heads gathered in soybeans. Earlier friends made and delivered hamburger meals so none of those workers hungered while harvesting for their good, but ill, neighbor. ‘And behold, if Jesus were to ask, “Which of these do you think proved neighbor to the man who fell ill because of cancer?,” the man and his beloved wife and their daughters who deal with the meanness of cancer would answer, “All of them, Lord, are good neighbors.” But they’d add, “Lord, this almost hurts. It’s so much easier to give than to receive.” ‘And the Lord would likely say to the man and his beloved family, “Whenever you saw needs, you’ve been my benevolent witnesses. Now it’s your turn to receive. None who helped or gave intended to make you feel indebted to them. They were just being neighbors as I had hoped they’d be when I had them live in community with you.” ‘And they all went to their homes rejoicing because they had a truly good day fellowshipping together as neighbors and giving freely of their time and resources to help another, just as God had put it in their hearts to do even before He created them.’ Ephesians 2:8-10 paraphrase: For by God’s grace are you saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not because of works, (even good works for a neighbor) lest any man should boast. For we are God’s worksmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” And in Matthew 7:12, “Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them...” Thank you to all whose lives make ‘neighbor’ a verb as well as a noun!
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