Am I loving my brother?

My students are learning all about Nehemiah this week, so I’ve spent the weekend reading through the first six chapters, thinking about the warrior that he was and how my kids have a lot of fighting to do.

 

This morning, my first truly cold morning in Bolivia in the last nine months, I sat wrapped up in a blanket, sipping coffee and reading chapter five.  I guess it’s confession time. I have been a lot about survival this year.  I haven’t been loving my Christian brothers and sisters like I know I should, with the excuse that I have enough to do just getting myself taken care of.

 

So it was extra-convicting to read about the Jews who were not being kind to their brothers in Nehemiah 5:9- “The thing that you are doing is not good.  Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?”

 

The way we treat those around us is what those who don’t follow Christ see and label “Christian.”  Am I loving my brother to “prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?”  Are you?