Hire Your Neighbor

I don’t understand.

For the past year plus, I have hired an unemployed neighbor to do work around my house. In truth, it is work I can and should be doing, but he needs the money. God is good to me; I am not rich, but I am not poor. I have extra money I can give to the church and/or charity, but my neighbor is neither a church nor wants charity. He wants a job. Because he cannot find one right now, I hire him for part-time work. This seems to be a good thing. Everyone I mention it to says it is a good thing. I think I am right with God and His thinking this is a good thing. All the people I speak to are good people; they would readily write a check for someone in need. So why does no one want to do this? I don’t understand. Are they really afraid of their neighbor?

I tried to get my township to set up a website for unemployed in our township, for neighbors to help neighbors. They worried about potential lawsuits; they said no. I tried to get a local non-profit to set up a website; they said no for the same reason. I wrote to and spoke with their lawyer, who agreed this was a good thing and would write a legal opinion supporting it; it’s been months. I wrote to the Knights of Columbus explaining the concept, offering to pay to set up a website run by them; they did not respond. I wrote to my subdivision association and asked: “Are we REALLY a “community homeowners association?” If so, could we do this on the association’s website --- I would pay for the programming costs; they do not respond.

Lord, what would you have me do? Have Your people forgotten who their neighbor is?

I don’t understand.