THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” (Matthew 22:37-39

It is difficult to practice one of these commandments without the other. I was reminded of this when my cousin, Karen, emailed me about Maria. Karen, her husband Jeff, and their four children were missionaries in Guatemala among the Pokomchi people. Karen had asked me to pray for Maria a few years ago. At that time it was thought by the locals that Maria was possessed by a demon, as she exhibited very strange behavior. However, the last time Karen had seen her, she was clean and calm.

Maria and her family had been relocated as a result of a landslide in their village, so Karen and her family had no contact with them. That had changed, though, and Karen wrote:

Every time I drive by that area, I see her. She is wearing torn clothes, and her hair is all matted. She runs everywhere. She seems kind of like a bag lady as she collects things and uses her skirt like a bag to carry them in. It is usually just sticks and leaves, but she always seems to be in a hurry to take these things home.

Recently, I was driving and saw her sitting out by the highway. No one else was around, so I stopped my car about 20 feet from her and started to get out very slowly. I gently said, ‘Hi Maria. Do you remember me?’ She jumped up and ran across the street. ‘Maria, don’t be afraid. I am your friend.’ As she started to run away, she stopped and looked back at me, still scared, but listening. ‘Jesus loves you, Maria. He has not forgotten you. He cares about you. Look for Him!’ She made eye contact with me before she ran away.

She was like a scared hurt animal! Please pray that my words of truth entered her heart. I don’t know what God expects of her, but I do know that He is able to communicate to her what He wants her to know, either through dreams or contact with someone.

Even though we aren’t missionaries in the hills of Guatemala, you and I know there are plenty of scared, hurt, needy people around us. They may be in the office where we work, in the carpool line, or sitting beside us on the church pew. They may look just like us. God wants us to show our love for Him by loving those around us. Maybe you can just stop and talk to them. Such a simple act can show them that God has not forgotten them and that He cares about them.

Ask God who He wants you to notice, talk to, and/or pray for this week. It can make a difference.