Thought for the Week
My title is a ruse. But it makes a point: There’s a widespread belief that loving your family and friends is the greatest virtue to which you can aspire. This is either true or false depending on how you look at it. If by “family” you mean blood relatives and personal friends, it’s false. If by “family” you mean our universal family, it’s true. Why? Because our families and friends aren’t isolated units, unaffected by and unaffecting others. To paraphrase John Donne, “No family is an island, entire of itself. Every family is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”
Loving your immediate family and circle of friends is good, but it’s not the ultimate good. Nor is it the kind of good that will heal our world. We’re called to love our whole family, the human race, our whole home, the earth, and all of our children.
I’m sometimes tempted to think this will never happen. But this morning I saw something on a community site called nextdoor.com that gave me hope for our universal family. All of the respondents (except Pauline) were young adults:
- Mrs. Gardner: “I need help. I’m senior can’t get the store I’m getting dehydrated. I need 2 cans of chicken noodle soup and 3 bottles of body armor drink it’s good it’s helps my dehydration!!”
- Phil: “I tried texting you. Where do they sell body armor drink?”
- Brianna: “Phil, they sell the body armour drinks at any gas station.”
- Barbara: “They sell them at Target and they’re actually on sale right now!”
- Sarah: “Is there anything you need Phil??”
- Phil: “Sarah, thank you for the thought. All my needs are met at the moment though.”
- Mrs. Gardner: “Please my dr said these r very good for dehydration.”
- Nancy: “I’m on my way, I got everything!”
- Phil: “I put it at your front door.”
- Nancy: “You’re awesome Phil!”
- Mrs. Gardner: “Thank u everyone with all my heart thank thank u god bless all!!”
- Pauline: “Thanks, Mrs. Gardner for reaching out for help and to everyone who helped for modeling how to Love they neighbor!”
- Mercedes: “Phil, thank you for helping Ms. Gardner in her time of need! The world is better because of people like you!”
Maybe we should ask ourselves regularly,
“How am I loving my whole family?
Mitch Teemley 
Thanks, Mitch, for passing along your wisdom and glimmer of hope. Let’s keep a good thought that heartwarming, soul touching, happy outcomes, such as Mrs. Gardner’s are merely under-reported. Yet, one must also consider the untold, unanswered, cries for help…
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Indeed, Tom.
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I don’t know about anywhere else but here in “scumsville” there is a very real sense of community.
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Exactly. We have Next Door too and I see that kind of help all the time. There is still good in the world. You are right, we are all a family.
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This does my heart So Much Good!
Thank you, Mitch. I sometimes look at that particular site too. Encouraging to see it being used in kindness to help.
Also, (and forgive that this is a little “off topic” but i loved your “greatest hits of 2021” and didn’t have a chance to express my gratitude. For All you do here, and All you share — Thank you!
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My privilege, Matilda. And thank you, dear friend, for all you do too.
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Shared your post on my FB page. You write such wonderfully good stuff, Mitch. Encouraging and inspirational.
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Aw, thank you so much, Laura. May your sowing plant seeds in people’s hearts.
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If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:46-48
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The perfect addition to this post.
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Good Morning Mitch! I loved this piece! I get a bit jaded and hopeless at times when I think of the future my grandkids will inherit. The I have young people come out to the farm and volunteer. They bring me hope and joy. We so often forget about all the good folks (especially the younger generation) out there. Thank you for sharing this jewel with us.
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So glad you’re seeing this kind of thing first hand, as well, my friend.
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Pretty freaking awesome! ❤️ 🌎
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I LOVE to see examples of Next Door (or any social media platform, for that matter) being put to good, life-giving use. Thanks for sharing that, Mitch!
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My pleasure, Russ!
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The examples were great. It’s amazing to see the way the whole family (community) could help one another. This gives hope!
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Thanks for that uplifting example! And yes, it’s easy to love our friends and families…..loving strangers, or even our enemies, is the tough one. But that’s exactly what we’re called to do as Christians, I think.
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Exactly, Ann.
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Mitch,
Reading this makes me see how not connected I am. Some people are good but all believers should be, right? Hope you have some great opportunities.
Thanks, Gary
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Likewise, my friend.
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Right; loving your family and friends is a good starting point, but only that. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:46, “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?” (No offense, IRS employees! 😂)
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