Love your neighbor.

I truly believe I have learned some of life's most precious lessons from my friends in the community surrounding Cross & Crown. In the midst of poverty, addiction and broken homes are the most gentle-spirited people I have ever met. I hate to confine that description to one culture and race, but I will... I have fallen in love with hispanic mothers and am blessed to spend time with them daily. When Jesus said "the meek shall inherit the earth(Matt.5), he was talking about these women.

The most beautiful lesson lately has been the fact that these women truly live out what it means to "love your neighbor as yourself". I know one mother who quite often has a growling stomach because her neighbors children have nothing to eat. She takes her almost empty pantry & stretches it to feed 10. Another great example is the bible study. When one woman shares a prayer request and cries over her burden, all the women weep together with their sister in Christ. These hispanic women are so strong. They keep clean homes, raise sometimes up to 10 children alone, feed large masses of friends and family, try to scrape finances together, hold big parties of celebration for every occasion and love on everyone they come into contact with. All while living in a country of people who tell them they don't belong. They smile and kiss me everytime they see me, ask me about my family, pray for me and cook me amazing food. They do all this for ME, a person from a race that completely rejects them. They love their neighbor.

I am very bold about my love for these women. They are my close friends and sisters in Christ. So my question is this, do YOU love your neighbor as yourself? Do you embrace other cultures? Do you try and understand why someone would leave their friends and loved ones behind to try and build a better life for their children? Would you do the same if you were in their shoes? Have you ever smiled at, hugged or kissed your latino housekeeper or do you just ignore them and keep your distance because they don't speak your language? Do you shout hooray when Bush passes bills closing the border and kicking them out? If you feel like I am talking to you... then maybe I am. The bible never said "love your AMERICAN neighbor".