I came home after the Easter morning brunch and drove past four homes on my street before I got to mine.
All of a sudden it struck me that most of my neighbors were outside. One mowing. A few kids playing basketball. Did they go to an Easter service somewhere? I doubted it. But I didn’t know.
For 10 years I’ve driven by my neighbor’s homes, and I don’t even know all of their names, let alone their spiritual condition. How could I live by them for so long and not care? What is wrong with my heart?
Peter says the Lord “is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentence.” (2 Peter 3:9 NIV)
Everyone.
God cares about the spiritual condition of every single neighbor I drive past, every Town Pump cashier, every Little Caesar’s cook, every hairdresser, every bank teller.
Can I be really, really honest? My heart feels indifferent toward these people most of the time. I go right by them without giving them a thought.
I’m on a personal mission to change that by doing two things. First, I’m learning names. Diane and Jackie work at the bank. Kristi and Vickie work at Town Pump. Christina sells me pizza. Butch is the elderly man who lives two doors down. I’ve purposefully learned all of these names in the last few weeks.
Second, I’m praying. Praying God will put the same feeling in my heart that he has for these peoples.
Will you do those two things this week? Learn some names and pray for a heart change?
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