Love Your Neighbor, and Be Organized About It

Love your neighbor as yourself. That is simple enough when our “neighbors” are our close friends. But what happens when the circle expands? How do we obey this command when there are many neighbors? How do we make sure everyone is loved adequately? Who is responsible to take care of whom? The early Christians faced this challenge as the church grew. In spite of their enthusiasm and overflowing generosity, some people ended up being overlooked. So the church did the only thing possible: they organized. They designated specific people to make sure everyone was served, especially those most likely to be overlooked. It’s the same today. The only way we can adequately care for one another in the church is to organize—to embrace specified responsibilities. In a group, organization makes love effective. Organization becomes our method of embodying the grace and compassion of God.