Let it snow...So much cold weather this year! The number of times I’ve seen people digging out cars, clearing sidewalks, wading thru slushy pools of black sludge along the side of the road… what a wonderful time of the year!

Somehow I got onto NYC’s public alert text system. It means I get texts in the middle of the night saying things like, “Beware of  life-threatening cold temperature and dangerous ice when walking your children to school that’s not canceled.”

In those same texts, there is often a comment about keeping an eye out for neighbors, especially elderly people and people with disabilities. NYC reminds me to be neighborly– to notice the people around me; to check on them and ensure they’re ok. It’s cold. It’s icy. Some in our city are at risk, so keep an eye out for them.

Jesus put it this way: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. It makes me think about the folks I’ve walked past and not helped, the neighbors I haven’t checked on or even noticed. I could use a text message from Jesus.

So, here’s the challenge. Do two things ASAP:

1. Pray that God would open your eyes to see those around you

2. Reach out to someone who’s at risk, in need, or just unnoticed

Never stop praying, not for a minute. Our neighbors are too important to our heavenly Father.