Friday November 13

good for the neighborhood

In January 2015, a terrorist stormed Hyper Cacher (a Kosher supermarket) in Paris and murdered four hostages. One of the store’s clerks, Lassana Bathily, heard the gunfire and hid shoppers in a freezer. Bathily, a Muslim whose courageous actions saved several Jews (including a child), was an immigrant who had been seeking French citizenship. As a thank-you for his bravery, authorities fast-tracked his papers and handed him a French passport during a public ceremony.

Bathily refused the praise. “People tell me I am a hero,” he said. “I am not a hero. I am trying to stay myself.” He believed that his courageous act was simply the right thing to do.

While this story would have been compelling at any time, it was particularly powerful as it happened during the week when terrorists went on a murderous rampage at a French newspaper. At the very time when tensions between people of differing ethnicities and religions were taut, Bathily’s actions provided hope.

Proverbs tells us that “upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper” (11:11). Whenever people humbly treat one another fairly and put others’ needs before their own or whenever neighbors choose to deal honestly and justly with one another, it leads to joy (vv.2-3,5,10). Bathily acted bravely, but it appears that his bravery was merely the continuation of the way he chose to live toward his neighbors, even those who were different from him.

With Jesus as our example, we’re called to treat one another with dignity and pursue one another’s well-being, even if (maybe especially if) they’re different from us (Matthew 7:12; Mark 12:31). Let’s honor Him by being people who are good for the neighborhood. —Winn Collier

read›
Proverbs 11:1-14  Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper (v.11).

more›
Read Romans 15:2 in the NIV and consider what it means to be a good neighbor.

next›
Where in your community do you see the need for upright citizens? How can you practically be a good neighbor to those in need?    

Russ Taff - We Will Stand (Live) from universalmusicgroup on GodTube.