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   There’s something special about living in a small town in North Georgia.  Life is shared here more than in most places. How many times have you been at the grocery store and unexpectedly ran into a familiar face that brightened your day? Or perhaps you encountered someone hungry and were able to direct them to The Lord’s Help Soup Kitchen, and that band of faithful volunteers.  When tragedies and hardships meet this community, genuine love and compassion are offered to those affected.  Life in a small town is shared, and that is a gift we sometimes forget to name.
   I have watched the same thing happen again and again in our community.  When a family loses a loved one, meals appear at their door.  When a storm does its worst, chainsaws and helping hands arrive before insurance adjusters.  After our last big windstorm, I encountered neighbors standing on corners directing traffic and warning of downed power lines.  One of our local restaurants even started a Giving Wall, to provide dignity and a meal to those who are struggling.  Life in a small town can be shared so beautifully.
   In the Christian tradition, there is a command from Jesus to “love your neighbor.”  Loving our neighbor means noticing them and joining them. When we love our neighbor, we choose to stand with our neighbor, rather than apart.  We take on work and challenges for the benefit of others.  Instead of saying, “Thank God it’s not me,” we are called by Jesus to be involved in the community.  We are called to grab a chainsaw, change how we run our
small business, or simply step forward to help a neighbor in need.
   When Jesus was baptized, he chose to stand with sinners and the broken. He looked for them, found them, and joined them. When we love our neighbor like Jesus, we will make room in our life for people who do not always think like us, vote like us, or live like we do. This type of love will cause us to enter uncomfortable situations with a clear mission. We become more than a collection of houses and businesses, in that, we become a sanctified neighborhood.  And by sanctified, I mean we become a community that is set apart, holy because of our love for others. When we practice being good neighbors, we become a community where burdens are shared and joys are celebrated together.
   Let me be clear, and state that I am not blind.  I know that we do not live in a perfect town, but if you take a moment to look around, you will discover that we live in a loving one. And this is the type of community that we can keep building together. We can continue to build a neighborhood where no one feels alone, and everyone feels seen. I would like to invite you to look around this week. Notice your neighbors, speak to your neighbors, and love your neighbors each day.  Offer a meal, a prayer, an invitation, or even just a compliment. With
snow and ice possible this weekend, let’s remember to look out for one another.  Small acts of love are never small in their impact. If you are looking for a place to practice this love, please consider this your invitation to join me for worship at First Baptist Church Cornelia.