Love your neighbor

Jesus was once asked "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”(Mark 12:28-31)

To put it simply, love God and then love your neighbor.
Loving your neighbor is pretty easy to do especially if you've got a great neighbor!

• But how about loving a neighbor that doesn't share your faith in God?
• Could you love a neighbor as yourself who is an atheist?
• Could you love him that much even if he was so outspoken against your faith that he tries to take you to court over it!

I recently read a story about an atheist man named Patrick Greene from Henderson County, Texas who threatened to sue the Henderson County Commissioner's Court unless they agreed to remove a Nativity scene that was on court property. The court did not remove the Nativity and Greene took them to court. Before the lawsuit could be heard by a judge, Greene learned from his doctors that he had a developing medical condition that was impacting his eyesight. Because of this, he decided to drop the lawsuit as he would be unable to continue due to his medical issue.

Things got worse for Greene, he had to retire from driving a taxi cab because of his failing eyesight. With his lack of income and medical expenses, his bills began to pile up. Then one day he received a $400 check to help him and his wife with their living expenses. The amazing part is that the check came from some Christians from Henderson County! The same area that Greene was suing over the Nativity scene!

Greene was overwhelmed by this act of generosity and said he was "completely flabbergasted." He commented that "They said they wanted to do what real Christians are supposed to do – love you – and they wanted to help,"

Although this act of Christian kindness does not sway his atheist beliefs, Greene now has a new perspective about “real” Christians. “They do not say horrible things about an atheist because we don't believe,” he said, lamenting that he and his wife have long been confronted by that.

Greene was so appreciative to the Christians that he ordered an electrical star for their nativity scene and had it shipped to Henderson County.

Patrick Greene has even started to write a book about this experience called, "The Real Christians of Henderson County." Since the story came out in the news media, Greene has received several thousands of dollars more to help out his finiancial situation. It's not known if all this additional money has come from other Christians, but surely this act of kindness started by these real Christians has spread and is influencing many others all for the glory of God!