Help for the Lonely

 I know a half-blind widow in our neighbourhood. Christian neighbours visit her and help her from time to time. Another neighbour takes her for a walk.

Another neighbour is a very elderly widow. A Christian woman visits her and stays for hours because she is very lonely and depressed.

There are lonely people all around us.

• Many drink because they are lonely.

• Others are addicted to porn because they are lonely.

• Some visit brothels because they are lonely.

• Others become obese because they seek comfort in food, but other people look down on them and they become even lonelier as a result.

• Many men and women desire sex with many partners, but this does not satisfy their loneliness.

Even in the church there are often very lonely Christians. Some pastors have no close friends.
A good pastor knew about a woman who was very active in a large church. She sang in the choir.

One day she went home, took a gun and shot herself.  

There are so many substitutes for real companionship..

There are thirsty people in poor countries who don't have fresh water. They drink dirty water and get sick.

You probably sometimes see a Muslim woman with her head covered. What do you think?
Many Europeans react very unfriendly because they feel they are flooded with unfriendly Muslims.

But Jesus loves these women. They often experience rejection from Europeans or bullying from their husbands. Many are lonely. They need neighbourly love.

Prostitutes are rarely alone, but they are often lonely. They need real kindness.

There are also very rich people who can't buy real friendship with a heap of money.

If you look at all your fellow human beings with God's neighbourly love, God will help you to comfort a lonely person here and there.

In the Bible, lepers were very lonely. They were not allowed to have contact with family or friends. Jesus touched them and healed them.

Jesus said that his disciples must help lonely people with love. Whoever helps a suffering person with God's love helps Jesus himself, because Jesus loves such people.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Mt 25:34–36 NIV

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Mt 25:40 NIV

For many people, Christmas is the loneliest time of the year. How can you comfort someone?