Loving God and My Neighbor

I was recently reunited with a friend from the past on Facebook. This morning I sat quietly thinking and talking to the Lord. I recalled memories from the past. Judy and I were young married women, each with two little daughters. We were both RN’s and connected by our Christian faith. We were introduced to each other by Mike, the owner of the laundry mat where we unfortunately had to spend a lot of time. Mike became our laundry mat angel and Judy and I became friends.

Prior to going to Mike’s laundry mat, Mike was a stranger. He took us under wing and was unconditionally kind and generous to both of us. It would be hard to explain the many ways in which he helped to make our lives and laundry chores easier. The weekly, or more often, trudge to wash clothes was not a task which I looked forward to but Mike’s welcoming face and helping hand made it doable. Young mothers of today can’t even imagine the fact that our laundry items included our baby’s cloth diapers.

Both Judy and I had been going to the laundry mat prior to the birth of our first babies, not know each other at the time. When Mike found out that we both were pregnant he wanted to help us by giving us some baby equipment. He ordered a playpen, a high chair, cloth diapers, and a diaper pail from Sears and had them delivered to our homes. It is hard for one to accept gifts and not want to give something back. It is hard not to question a motive behind kindness. For most of us it is easier to give than it is to accept a gift graciously and gratefully.

Mike’s generosity was with out motive! We did not know a whole lot about him. His sister and her family lived near, he spoke of a favorite niece, he was more than comfortable financially, and we knew that he had some medical problems. His life was his laundry mat business and he was on site most of the time. He was helpful to everyone but he was truly our angel. When our first daughters, Elisa and Sharon, were born he presented them each with a gold charm bracelet and he did the same two years later when Erica and Holly were born.

I can remember times when one of my babies was sick and I couldn’t get to the laundry mat. Mike would come to the house, pick up laundry, wash it, dry it, and return it to me. He never, ever, wanted anything in return. Sometimes, when we were waiting for our clothes to wash and dry, he would buy us pizza slices from the Italian restaurant next to the laundry mat. The laundry mat and restaurant were located in a little strip mall on Hempstead Avenue. It was about five minutes from Maple Street in West Hempstead where Richie and I lived in a little apartment over Aunt Carrie and Uncle Albert’s garage. When Richie and I on occasion tried to give Mike a thank you gift it seemed to make him very uncomfortable. He was giving to give, not to receive.

As I sat remembering Judy, Mike, and this time in my life, I couldn’t help to think about God’s unconditional love for each of us. It is hard for the human mind to comprehend the magnitude of that love. If it is difficult for me to accept unconditional kindness from someone who I can see, how well do I accept it from God who I cannot see? How do I show my love to others in the way I am instructed to? In Matthew 22:37-40 we are commanded to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind and our neighbors as ourselves. In Luke 10 a religious leader asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answered by telling the familiar story of the Good Samaritan. The disciples answered the above question by agreeing that the good neighbor was the one traveler who showed mercy to the Jewish man who had been beaten and robbed. He showed love without wanting anything in return. In 1Timothy 1:5 Paul tells us that we, as Christians, are to be “filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith”. God loves His children unconditionally. I question my ability to always love unconditionally and without motive. I want to feel God’s presence, study His word and His ways, and increase in my faith so I can strive to see “my neighbor” through the eyes of Christ.