Page 73 - Summer 2019 - Lubbock Senior Link Magazine - Online Magazine

HONORING SENIORS

LOVING YOUR Inspiration

“NEIGHBOR”

by Pastor Dean Richards

In the story of the Good to lead those I meet into a ridden community across
Samaritan, Jesus said to God-saved life. I didn’t just the city from where you live.
“Love the Lord your God want to talk about it; I wanted
with all your heart and with to be in on it.” (The Message The Dream Center has
all your soul and with all Translation) been reaching out to our
your strength and with all neighbors in the Slaton/Bean
your mind” and “Love your The Good Samaritan was neighborhood since 2006.
neighbor as yourself.” Then an ordinary person who We have discovered that it
someone asked the question, went out of his way to help is simple acts of kindness,
“Who is my neighbor?” Jesus someone he didn’t know, as well as the commitment
told a story that illustrates not because he felt obligated, of our presence, that makes
the importance of doing but because he was all the difference. The
for someone and not just constrained by love. When Slaton/Bean neighborhood
talking about it. The a person has experienced had one of the highest
Apostle Paul continues this “the endless love of God crime rates and lowest
thought in 1 Corinthians cascading into his heart” income levels in our city,
9:19, “Even though I am free of Rom. 5:5 (TPT), a desire to but thanks to hundreds,
the demands and expectations serve is the natural response. maybe thousands of Good
of everyone, I have voluntarily When someone is motivated Samaritans (Lubbockites)
become a servant to any and by love, servanthood is who were willing to “enter”
all in order to reach a wide not a chore, but a pleasure. that world, families and
range of people: religious, At the Dream Center, we individuals are being
nonreligious, meticulous have a motto, “Find a need restored. It doesn’t matter
moralists, loose-living and fill it. Find a hurt and whether a person complains
immoralists, the defeated, the heal it.” Sometimes, your about a neighbor, or talks
demoralized---whoever. I neighbor is a lonely person about being a good one,
didn’t take on their way of life. on your block. Maybe it’s needs don’t get met and
I kept my bearings in Christ- a single mother, struggling problems don’t get solved
--but I entered their world to make ends meet. Maybe with words. Love is a verb,
and tried to experience things you know a child who needs but it flows easily from
from their point of view. I’ve a surrogate grandparent, a heart that is full of the
become just about every sort of or a teenager who needs a unending, cascading love of
servant there is in my attempts mentor. Maybe it’s a crime- God.

Lubbock Senior Link 73