As I have lived here my whole life, I have seen Waco really change over the last 30 years. I grew up in a small neighborhood in North Waco, which was the lower middle class side of town. Now it is, with the exception of a few blocks here and there, broken down, unmaintained and crumbling. This situation is not unique to Waco. It happens when drugs infest a city. It happens when the moms are babies themselves. It happens when the cry of our heart is "but what about me" or even worse, "its not my fault". What a weak and lame battle cry.
What happened to neighbors really being neighbors? We have already been given Direction and they are really really simple to read but more than difficult to understand and apply to life. Especially while you are trying to live the life U want. Love thy neighbor as thyself, hmm Jesus says this in Matthew 19:19, He is quoting from Leviticus. This is the second command, the first being Love the Lord thy God with all your heart. Yeah sure, I love them(from as far away as I can)
How about this one -- Do not oppress the poor, whether they be slaves, neighbors, or strangers Deut.24:14 Slaves- those that are bound to something other than themselves. There are many slaves in Waco. To drugs, to money, to other peoples opinions, to their opinion of themselves.
The answer is to LOVE them and because you love them, you share Jesus with them. You share Jesus with them, a deep personal relationship Jesus, not Jesus on Sunday morning or in an emergency.I know change is coming to Waco and I encourage each one of you to take your part in the change. Instead of judging come and listen, see what God has done for you. Live and give like there is no tomorrow, its not your money anyway, it is God's. And we can make all the plans we want to, only God's plan will stick. Pray for this city, pray for your neighbors. Then dont just be hearers of the Word but also DOERS!
I wrote this in response to an article in the Waco Trib
http://www.wacotrib.com/featr/content/features/stories/2008/06/15/06152008wacessayWEB.html
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