December 10, 2018

Prophets

The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. – Deuteronomy 18:15

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. – Hebrews 1:1-2

We think of prophets as those who lived in the times of the Old Testament. They shared God’s words, proclaiming judgment and telling the future. Could prophets exist today? Absolutely!

The dictionary defines prophet as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God. These are not people who are clairvoyant. They aren’t people from the devil. They are God’s servants, proclaiming God’s Word.

Our pastor noted recently that there are many prophets in the storm-ravaged areas of the Gulf Coast. There are many prophets in the fire-decimated areas of California. There are prophets who work with the homeless, those fighting depression, those suffering from illness and substance abuse and violence. We don’t call them prophets but they are most definitely teaching others about Jesus.

It’s the prophets’ job to help us see God’s grace. It’s their job to point us toward hope in any and all circumstances. They help us refocus on Jesus.

The Israelites, much like us, put their hope in what they could see. Jesus told them they would be persecuted, that they would be betrayed by those closest to them. He spoke of anguish and terror. He said that heaven and earth will pass away but His words never will.

We don’t want to hear His words. We trust in our homes, our families, our bank accounts. We are assured that we can handle whatever happens. Until the day that everything is gone and our lives are filled with destruction and pain.

The prophets come to remind us that though we have suffered we can survive. The prophets tell us that God loves us and will restore us. Prophets see Jesus in the worst of circumstances and steady us as we struggle with shattered faith.

Life isn’t so much about the mistakes we make or the circumstances that destroy what we once held dear as it is about how we cope with those situations. We all make mistakes. And horrible things happen that are beyond our control, like a wildfire or a hurricane.

How do you handle it? Do you avoid dealing with what happened? Do you attack others, turn to drugs or alcohol, or become dependent on another person or circumstance? Or do you pray and seek wise counsel? Do you adapt to your new circumstances? Do you fill your life with friends and music and exercise?

There are pastors and lay people who have flooded the areas hard-hit by storms and fires. Some of them are victims themselves. They offer real help in the form of food, shelter, clothing. But, more importantly, they offer hope. They remind us that while Jesus never promised an easy life, He did promise to be with us through every trial. Prophets remind us of the hope we find in Him.

November 17, 2018

What Are You Doing?

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of the sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” – Luke 4:18-19

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

– John 12:32

Our Sunday school class has been studying Why I Am A United Methodist by William H. Willimon. It’s a wonderful book that gets back to the basics of what being a Methodist is all about. It’s also a good reminder that no matter what denomination you claim as your own, we are called to something larger than ourselves.

John Wesley preached to the least. He didn’t set up a single preaching post in the wealthier boroughs of London. Willimon writes: He used the Methodist movement as an example of how God begins with those whom the world regards as lowly and of little account before God tries much with the rich and powerful.

Do you think that might be because the rich and powerful don’t always realize how much they need a Savior? Have you considered that the folks who have so much might believe deep inside that their money, their possessions, their abilities are what will save them in the end?

Wesley was all about people. He turned Anglican beliefs upside down. Why? Because he believed that religion was meant to be lived. It’s not enough to know that we should do good to the poor. We must live our faith through our actions. Sounds a great deal like James, doesn’t it?

There’s one true thing about the broken and the poor. There’s a common denominator among those who are sick and those who have lost it all. We are humbled by our circumstances. We know how fragile life truly is. We understand the limits of our human abilities. We are filled with compassion because we understand that no matter how hard life may seem, we are still so blessed by the Holy Spirit. We want to share the Good News. We want to share Jesus.

Jesus didn’t come to save those who had all the answers. He didn’t come to lift up those who considered themselves a little above everyone else. Jesus came for the lost, the poor, the broken. He came for you and me.

A local restaurant will head toward the coast this Thanksgiving. The world has moved on but there are still so many people who are homeless and broken in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. It takes a village and a village has responded. Donations have poured in. Volunteers are lined up. One meal has now become three. More than 750 meals in three different locations. God’s hands at work.

We worry so much about having enough. We recruit the wealthy, we beg for money, we don’t see a way. We forget in all our humanness that we don’t need to worry about bank accounts and budgets. We only need to ask our Savior for His will, knowing that He will provide for and bless what He has ordained.

Jesus took a couple of fish and some bread and fed thousands. We forget that, don’t we? We forget that when we offer our small portion to the least, Jesus multiplies it for the masses. We don’t think we are enough but with Jesus we can provide an abundance.

Jesus came for everyone. He said He would draw others to Himself. We are His hands and feet. People who are hurting, people who are lost, will know Jesus because of our actions. Reach out. Show them His love. People need Jesus. What are you doing to shine His light so that all may see?

November 13, 2018

Hold On To Hope

“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.” – Genesis 9:13-15

As I write this, rain is pouring down outside. It rained much of last week. Predictions are for three very wet days this week. Flash flood watches and warnings are everywhere. A tornado watch rests over our area. We are weary and water-logged.

And yet the rain continues to fall.

Do you ever feel like that about your life? Does it ever seem like you’ve had one set back after another, one illness after another, one headache, one heartbreak, too many? And you wonder why and how you’ll ever make it through the valley.

A few years ago I walked with friends who were in such a valley. A son sick with cancer, a horrible disease that eventually took his life. A daughter that was in a wreck. A lightening strike on their house that took out all of their electrical devises. Medical expenses that were without end. And the fear. The all-consuming fear.

I found myself asking: How much more God? How can they withstand anymore? And, yet, they did. Faith does that for people. It sinks deep inside and provides roots that may sway and falter but that hold us up through the storms.

As the rain pours down, I can’t help but think of those along the coast and for miles inland. The victims of Hurricane Michael. Many live in tents now. Others struggle to keep tarps on their roofs and over holes where windows once were. Mold grows but they are effortless to stop it.

And I think: How much God? Their lives are shattered. Every thing around them is hard. It will be months before even basic services are available. Think in terms of water, sewage, electricity. Baths are a luxury. Food is basic and, usually, cold. These are people like you and I. They once sat in their cozy homes, relaxing in a recliner and watching television.

Or look at the news reports of the wildfires raging in California. Towns destroyed. People fleeing with nothing but their lives. And, sometimes, people losing their lives as their vehicles and homes are consumed with raging fires. How much God? People are hurting. How much can they stand?

And, yet, I am reminded that our safety and security doesn’t come from things which are so easily destroyed. Our security comes from God. Our safety rests in belonging to Him. Our rock, our shelter, in the storms that rage against us.

God sent a flood that destroyed every living thing on the earth except for those people and animals who were on the ark with Noah. Afterwards, God made a promise. The rainbow is a reminder of that promise.

No matter how much rain falls, the sun will shine on our land again. Towns will be rebuilt. Families will be restored to their homes. Hope comes in the form of a promise. It came to earth as a baby and died on a cross, only to rise again and live forever more.

I don’t know your struggle this day but I do know this: God holds you close in the storm. Hope reminds us that there are better days ahead. Look at the rainbow and remember. God is faithful. You really will be okay.

October 25, 2018

Give and Receive

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

– Galatians 6:2

I am amazed. Thankful. Beyond grateful. Friends arrived to help me clear trees from the last two fence lines. They were amazing.

I didn’t ask for help. I have that pride thing going when it comes to that. I know. I’m working on it. I just don’t want to be a burden to anyone so I try really hard to handle things on my own. They came anyway.

It’s amazing how several people can quickly accomplish what it would take one person hours and hours to do. I think God always knew we’d need each other. He wanted us to reach out, to help, to live lives focused somewhere besides on ourselves.

We’ve seen a lot of reaching out lately in our part of the world. The aftermath of Hurricane Michael is just a news blurb for most people now. But for the victims, well, the nightmare has only just begun. The need is great.

People show up every day with food and water. They donate clothes and shoes, toys and diapers, towels and pillows. They come with chainsaws and work gloves, and buckets filled with cleaning supplies. Because these people need more than prayers. They need the hands and feet of God’s people.

We all need help at some time in our lives. Several years ago a sweet woman brought her three children to church every Sunday. Her son was in elementary school and she had twin infant daughters. They lived in a rural area. Her husband was deployed – again. She worked a fulltime job. She was overwhelmed. But she came to church. Why? Because for a couple of hours a week she could turn her babies over to the loving and capable ladies who volunteered in the nursery and soak in the peace of Christ.

One Saturday, the youth and several adults went to her house. They mowed and pulled weeds. They trimmed back trees and did numerous handyman chores. They did the things her husband would have done if he hadn’t been serving in a war zone. She was overwhelmed with gratitude.

Surely, she needed our prayers. And we all did pray for her and her children. But she needed help, the kind of help that shows up to rock babies and do yardwork.

Prayer is so very powerful. It’s our first line of defense and our first source of wisdom and direction. But don’t let it be your only outlet when it comes to serving others. Sometimes we all need to feel the physical presence of Jesus, as shown to us through the hands and feet of His people.

There’s a time to give and a time to receive. So give of yourself, your time, your efforts and, when your circumstances change, receive with gratitude and grace the offerings from others.

October 23, 2018

God is With You

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. – Psalm 34:18

There’s a sadness about him. He’s solemn. The twinkle is gone from his eyes. His heart has learned what his mind always knew: The things of this world are only temporary. Only God is forever.

The things I always thought would be there are gone, he told me. Hurricane Michael showed no compassion, no sympathy, no mercy as it attacked. It was gone within hours of the initial onslaught. The scars – both on the land and the people who live there – will last forever.

How do you even begin to heal? There’s nothing to rebuild. It’s all rubble and fallen trees. Everywhere you look is devastation. It’s hard to make out where specific landmarks once stood. It’s just that bad.

And then, as you struggle to cope with what has happened, you hear that three linemen have died. They were mowed down by a man now charged with DUI. They were doing something good. They were working to restore power to people who have been without for more than two weeks. They were helping others and they died because of it.

How does it all make sense? We know that God will turn all things to our good and His glory if we’ll just turn it over to Him. But it’s hard to see good right now. It’s difficult to believe anything could ever be alright again. The weight of all that’s happened causes a burden in our souls.

I wonder how God felt when Jesus hung on the cross. It was necessary to save us but have you ever considered what it cost Him? That was His Son! And think about Jesus. He knew what was coming. He agonized over it. He pleaded for another way even as He surrendered His will to God the Father.

And, yet, we tell ourselves God doesn’t understand. We demand that Jesus fix what is broken on the outside, brushing past His offer to fix what is broken on the inside.

That’s where the healing begins. It’s on the inside. It’s choosing to look at the good in something that is too awful to bear. It’s that flicker of hope that lets light into the darkness.

It’s noticing how people are coming together to help those in need. It’s remembering what’s important in life. It’s noticing the beautiful sunrise or the healing touch of a gentle rain.

It’s remembering that no matter how alone we might feel, God never leaves us alone. It’s knowing that when we don’t know the way, God is right beside us telling us which way to go. It’s believing that even though we don’t know how life will ever be okay again, God has promised to provide good things for us.

Deep sadness changes us. We become stronger, our roots of faith, growing deeper into the strength of His Presence. But we are never the same.

My dear friend will one day be happy again. He will smile. His laughter and dry wit will return. But he’ll carry the sorrow of today deep inside. That’s where compassion takes root. In the years to come, he’ll understand the agony of someone else’s pain and he’ll be able to reach out in empathy. It’s the good that comes from the bad.

I don’t know your story but I do know this: God is with you, no matter where you are or what you’re going through. When everything else collapses around you, count on that. God will never let you down.

October 19, 2018

Sacrifices

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

– John 15:13

Jesus knew what was coming. He understood His purpose even though His disciples, His friends, didn’t have a clue as to what Jesus would soon face. Jesus loved them. Jesus loves us. Jesus loves us enough that He died so we could be set free from death.

We know that many sacrifice of themselves to keep us safe and protected. We think of the soldiers who serve around the world, separated from family and friends, to defend us and to try and bring a measure of peace to this chaotic world.

We understand that police officers, state troopers, sheriff’s deputies and others in law enforcement play a vital role in protecting us all. Sometimes they pay a price that is way too high. Sometimes they die in the line of duty. A North Carolina family today endures that unimaginable scenario.

And then there are all the others. Hurricane Michael has ravaged a large area filled with our friends and neighbors. While some send money and bottled water and such – a good thing right now – others show up and work.

One such man, a firefighter, lost his life yesterday. A tree fell on the tractor he was driving as he helped clear debris for family members. Hurricane Michael claimed another victim.

Even now, power companies have sent linemen into devastated areas. They’ve come from numerous states. Yes. They’re getting paid. They’re also doing dangerous work for really long hours in horrific conditions. We’re blessed to have them. We’re thankful to have them.

Eleven years ago my hometown suffered a devastating tornado that destroyed a large area, including the high school. Nine people died. Eight were high school students. Volunteers and emergency crews descended on the town and we were and are so grateful. We needed help and help came.

I also remember watching someone cutting a tree that was broken and hanging awkwardly. He almost causing someone else to be badly injured. It was an accident. The volunteer wasn’t trained. He knew how to use a chain saw. It wasn’t that. It’s that the trees after a storm are damaged in a way that can cause them to fall differently. The disaster team crews are specially trained in how to get them removed without injury. Most of the time no one gets hurt. Until they do.

There are people from all over the country who are making sacrifices right now to help those who are in desperate need. This isn’t some disaster that happened in another country. It happened in our backyard. These are our people. They are good, hard-working people who are now in desperate need.

I applaud those who go into the disaster zone and help. I admire the emergency workers and trained disaster teams. I am so grateful for the lineman and others who are working hard to restore power and water, to clear debris and to provide food for others. They are loving others like Jesus would.

Take a moment, if you would, to remember Gulf County Fire Coordinator Brad Price of Wewahitchka, FL. And remember North Carolina State Highway Patrol Trooper Kevin Conner. Pray for their families and friends. They are both gone way too soon.

October 17, 2018

Help for Today and Tomorrow

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2

The local Emergency Management Agency was adamant. Do Not Go. Just don’t. At least, not without a plan. Register in advance and know where you are going and what you will be doing.

Everyone wants to help Hurricane Michael victims. There’s just so much devastation in such a large area. Do you go to Panama City? Do you head to Marianna or Gordon or any of the other inland towns that are devastated?

And what do people really need at this stage? Many don’t have toilets that flush, lights that work, nonperishable food, diapers and toiletries and, oh yes, water to drink.

The trouble comes when the influx of volunteers who don’t have a plan interferes with the recovery efforts of groups and agencies that are trying to set up a smooth, efficient organization to help people with the greatest needs.

Don’t get me wrong. They want help. They want donations. They want financial assistance to help pay for supplies and housing and other necessities for people who are desperate. But it needs to be done safely and efficiently.

Our church has been delivering supplies to devastated areas every day. Our associate pastor is from a town just inland from Mexico Beach, which took the hardest hit. He owns a home there and has family scattered throughout the area. He is also a trained medic and volunteer with a local fire department. Another church member is with EMA. We also have many others who have specialized training for just such a time as this.

The needs are specific. At first, the need was water, food, hand sanitizer, diapers, and such. Another day the need was chainsaws and files and chains. Those who go each day to deliver the supplies and work know exactly where they are going and what they will do that day.

As our senior pastor noted, there will be many opportunities in the coming months and years to volunteer in these areas. There won’t be a quick fix. We can’t just rush in and cut a few trees, pile up some debris and call it good. Everything is gone. There are many hurting people who will need help for a very long time. Remember: They have lost their homes, all of their possessions and, in most cases, their jobs.

The time will soon come when Hurricane Michael is just something that happened to someone else. We’ll all move on with our lives and focus on something else. But for the people who are suffering, well, the journey has only just begun. They’re going to need us all when the rest of the country has forgotten what they’ve been through and what they are still going through.

So, give and do what you can right now. Work with a reputable agency or group. If you volunteer, make sure you go through the appropriate groups, register and have a plan. Pray without ceasing for guidance as you help.

And remember that they will need you later too. One day the debris will be gone and the rebuilding will begin. They’ll need help. Homes must be built and furnished. Schools must be rebuilt and filled with desks and chairs and lockers and musical instruments and sports equipment. Something as simple as rebuilding a playground can do so much for morale.

It’s going to be a long journey. Will you be there for the long haul?

October 14, 2018

It’s All About Perspective

All the believers were together and had everything in common. – Acts 2:44

People met today to worship God. For some, it was another routine Sunday. They gathered in their sanctuaries and other buildings to sing and hear a sermon. Some complained about the temperature. Others noted the loudness of the music or the appropriateness of the pastor’s message.

There was another group of people who met today to worship God. They gathered outside, bringing their own chairs to sit in. The only music was what came from their voices. They listened intently to the pastor’s voice, desperate for a word of hope and thanksgiving.

They met outside because Hurricane Michael had ravaged the sanctuaries of the churches they once attended. They brought their own chairs, or sat on the ground, because there was nowhere else to sit. They weren’t concerned about how loud the music might be or how long the sermon went.

Priorities shift when the life you once knew is gone forever. They came today to hear that God always keeps His promises. God promises to turn bad into good if we’ll just hand it over to Him. God promises to never leave us. God promises to sustain us, to give us strength and courage, to show us the way.

God always keeps His promises. That’s what they were holding tightly to today.

The “church” in our world today means a building that houses worship services. But, actually, the church is the body of believers. It’s you and me. We are the church.

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. – Ephesians 2:19-21

We get so caught up in comfort and control and things that really don’t matter. Sometimes it takes losing everything to refocus our lives on what’s important.

A dear woman posted today that it finally occurred to her that while she was whining about being without power, others have lost everything. It’s not just that their home and possessions are gone. They don’t have jobs anymore because their employer is gone too. She finally understood that while she was focused on her own discomfort, there was people who would give anything if electricity was all they were missing.

It’s all about focus, isn’t it? It comes down to what is truly important. People are important. Stuff, well, it can vanish quickly in the face of 150 mph winds.

Today people gathered to thank God for their lives. They thanked Him for volunteers and bottled water and so many other blessings. And they asked for courage as they cling to hope that one day this will all be a distant nightmare.

October 13, 2018

Step Up Or Stay Home

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” – Matthew 25:40

She was done. Fed up. This normally even-tempered woman was going to have her say. I understood.

Her town received much damage in Hurricane Michael. She isn’t complaining about that. She’s still got a home and she’s grateful. Power will be restored eventually. All the limbs will be cut and hauled off. Life will resume. She knows it could have been much worse.

Her complaint stems from the looky-loos driving slowly down her street. They aren’t there to help. They’re there to get a good look at all the damage. They obviously don’t have a lot of damage at their own homes. If they did, they wouldn’t have time to be out driving around.

They need to go home, she said with uncharacteristic anger. If they aren’t here to help, they don’t need to be here at all. I know. She was tired. Stressed to the max. Trying to clean up what the winds tore up.

But she has a good point. We’ve been blessed by those who have shown up and put feet and hands to their faith. We’re so fortunate by those who are gathering supplies – water, generators, toiletries, food – and heading to those areas where people are in desperate need.

And then there are those who want to talk about it but never actually get around to doing anything. They are the looky-loos who would rather observe than actually get their hands dirty with work.

Of course, I can handle that better than those who make empty offers they never plan to follow up with. You know the ones. “Call me if I can do anything,” they’ll say. “Just let me know what you need,” they add.

But they are never available and never follow through. A sweet friend had some serious health issues a couple of years ago. She was so frustrated by those who offered to help but, when called on, could only make excuses. She wanted to know why people make offers when they have no intentions of doing anything.

I think it’s because they want to feel good about themselves. Somehow it makes them feel like they’ve done something simply because they’ve made an offer. They’ve somehow convinced themselves they’ll never get called, never be asked, never have to step up.

We’ve all seen it. Just make a call and they’re just too busy. Or the time isn’t convenient. Or they just can’t physically do it. Then why offer? Just don’t say anything. That was my friend’s frustration. No one asks you to offer so, unless you plan to step up, don’t say anything.

These are challenging days. Mexico Beach is gone. Panama City, Port St. Joe, Lynn Haven and so many other coastal communities have major damage that will take years to rebuild. And that’s just along the coast. It doesn’t consider all the communities inland who also suffered severe damage and destruction. These storm victims don’t need empty words or looky-loos. They need real help. They need people who are willing to sweat, sacrifice, give. They need hugs and hope.

So, if you aren’t willing to help, stay home. People are hurting and they don’t deserve to be your entertainment.

October 12, 2018

Gratitude

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

– 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

There’s a lot of thankful people around these days. Some are thankful they were spared. Some are thankful they are alive.

My neighbor said he prayed fervently during the storm for God to spare his house. He has tall trees in both the front and back yards and he was concerned that the wind would cause one or more to crash onto his house. His home weathered the storm without so much as a missing shingle. He’s been happily cleaning up limbs and leaves. It’s a small thing when he realizes what could have happened.

Another woman rejoices because her family is safe. So many people chose to ride out the storm in their homes. It sounded like a good idea, didn’t it? Until winds reached 150 mph and their homes were torn apart around them.

Another man got his power back today, well before he expected it. He’s looking forward to a hot cup of coffee. He said he knew it would sure taste good now that the storm and power outage reminded him of what it’s like to do without that coffee every morning.

There’s nothing like having your foundation ripped apart to realize what’s important. Family and friends come immediately to mind. Neighbors. Co-workers. And then the basics. When you’re thirsty and without power or water, someone delivering a nice cool bottle of water fills you with gratitude.

So do the power trucks lining the roads. They’re heading south to help and we’re just so grateful. We’re grateful for the search and rescue teams that are traveling south. We’re praying they find survivors. We’re glad that they will do what they can to make sure everyone is located, however that might turn out.

We’re thankful for those who, no longer needing their generator, loan it to someone who does. We’re thankful for gasoline to run cars and chainsaws and, yes, generators. We’re glad that a grocery store without power decided to cook all their meat and give it away to a community without power.

We’re grateful for the people who operate the numerous shelters around the area. They’re providing way more than a place to sleep and meals. They’re giving out hugs, entertaining children, helping parents grieve what they’ve lost. People who are numb need someone trustworthy to help them navigate these early days of loss. We’re grateful for those who step up to provide that.

The days are long right now. The task seems overwhelming. Nothing will ever be the same. So much is gone. Yet so much remains.

I am grateful for God’s Presence is the midst of it all. I pray that others come to see Him in the middle of this disaster. I hope they turn to Him for peace and strength. And I hope all of us keep our hearts and minds focused on Jesus. It’s just so easy to become overwhelmed but Jesus said that when we are weary we’re to cast our burdens on Him because He cares for us.

I don’t know your circumstances but I do know this: There’s just so much to be grateful for this day. Take a moment and thank God for that.

October 11, 2018

Love Your Neighbor

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

– Luke 10:29

“The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:31

It’s the day after. Hurricane Michael destroyed so much yesterday. Even now, it’s wreaking havoc on other areas. For those where I am, well, today we begin to pick up the pieces.

There are trees to cut up and remove, roofs to tarp until roofers can get to them. Some will be replacing windows and vehicles. Others, hurricane refuges, will grieve for all they have lost.

Facebook has proven to be a good outlet for locating family members, friends, work associates. Storm devastation prevents all but first responders from entering many areas and, with cell service not available, all many can do is pray and wait. Strangers helping strangers. One person posted a photo of a daughter, her husband and their two children so that a frantic mother could know they are fine.

The Coffee County Baptist Association Relief Group headed out this morning. Other religious and civic groups did the same. There are people to be fed, to be helped, to be held through their tears. Strangers helping strangers yet again.

My community was hit by a devastating tornado 11 years ago. It destroyed the high school. Eight students died. People came from all around to help. We remember that and we pay it forward every time something awful happens in another community.

The unfortunate truth is that people are kinder, friendlier, more apt to help strangers, when something awful has happened. Devastating storms bring out the best in us. It’s like we suddenly remember that we’re neighbors, no matter how far apart we live. We remember that Jesus told us to love people, to help others, to do good.

So, we fan out in droves. We pray without ceasing. We donate water and canned food. We hand out pillows and blankets. We pull on work gloves and offer generators. We share what we have because we know it could easily have been us. We love people where they are and forget to notice differences.

I wish we could be like that all the time. I wish we would help the elderly without being asked. I wish we would share and speak kindly. I wish we would focus on what we have in common and look over our differences.

Maybe that’s the lesson God is trying to teach us. Love your neighbors, whether you know them or not. Love your neighbors, whether you live close or far away. Love your neighbors. This world is hurting so badly. Just be Jesus. That’s all. Just be Jesus.