NY Stabbing...

If you haven't read about it, you might read this first...

A man in NY died this morning after he was stabbed while he was trying to help a woman from some kind of physical attack, and while he lay bleeding in the streets, at least 7 people walked by and didn't do anything to help.

Many people have commented on this story saying, "How cruel" or "What is this world coming to?" And I would have to agree, but then I need to pose the question, how often do we ourselves do the very same thing?

How often do we allow ignorance or our own goals blind us from the world around us? How often do we ignore those who are bleeding, who are hurt, or who need help?

I drive by skid row most every day. I'm not saying that I'm better than most who grew up in the suburbs. I still feel that twinge of fear & guilt as I talk to people who are homeless. But there is a reality on the streets many of us choose to ignore.

I say "us", because even working in an urban context, sometime I become tired and don't want to deal with all the drama. Which is why I use this story as a call out to Christians everywhere. As a believer, I beg of you to open your eyes to what is around you and change what you can. Today!

I'm not saying that you need to quit your job and live on the streets. I'm not even saying that you need to rearrange your life. But begin to ask yourself, who in your life hurts, bleeds, needs? Maybe it is that homeless man on the street corner near your work. Maybe it's a co-worker who needs a hand. Maybe it's the kid at school who eats by him/herself.

But there are people around us bleeding to death, and we walk right by them. We tell ourselves that someone else will stop, someone else will make sure they are ok, someone else...

How about us? How about Christians? How about God fearing, Jesus loving, Holy Spirit filled Christians? Let's get out of the news for hate crimes... let's stop being known for being hypocrites. And start showing the world that we love them.

Ugh, I'm so sick for all the hate... I know this sounds like hippie propaganda, but it's true. Arizona passing laws about illegal immigrants... People protesting in the streets because of health care for the poor... I'm just putting it out there folks...

36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

- Matthew 22:36-40

Love your neighbor as yourself.

How many of us would RUN if we saw our parents, our brothers, our sisters in pain on the streets bleeding... our friends? even our enemies?

It's simply put... that ALL the law and the prophets hang on two commandments. The first is to love God with everything we have... Then to love each other.

Who is bleeding on the streets? Who do we need to love?