I heard a message yesterday that really struck a spot in my heart.  The message was about who are neighbor is so we can identify them and love them like ourselves. Mark 12:31.  The speaker said, "It's not who your neighbor is, it's about who you will be neighborly to today."  I had always taken it literally so that I could pat myself on the back for being nice to my neighbor next door and stepping over the guy two doors down. 

"Who are you being neighborly to today?"

 Do you cross the street when you see someone or some situation that you "might" have to get involved with, rather than staying the course and seeing if you can help?  What if today that was the very course, the very thing that God had placed before you?  What if that was your assignment for the day?  I believe that on judgment day we will stand before Jesus and He will take an account of not only the things we did but the assignments we missed.  "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Ephesians 2:10 

"Don't miss what God planned for you today."

As I walked around our church auditorium praying yesterday, God began revealing so much to me about my heart and I want to share with you so you too can examine where you are at.  I work full-time at a church and by default I felt that everything I did was for the church and therefore ministry.  The first thing that struck me was how many things I do in the flesh that will be simply burned up.  1 Corinthians 3:12-15
Second thing that struck me was how arrogant my heart was to think that if I didn't do something that it wouldn't get done.  Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing". John 15:5 
Wow, how many times have I done things apart from Christ, running on my own strength and direction all under the guise of ministry? 

Here is a question for you to ask God and yourself today, "If there were no tax benefits for tithing, would I do it?"  Yeah I had a radical conversation with God yesterday and today huh?  Ask God to reveal your true heart and see if there be any wicked way in you.  King David was taking a huge risk when he asked this of God, yet David is said to be a man after God's own heart. 1 Samuel 13:14

Where is your heart today?  Are you looking for ways to be neighborly to those that God places in your path or are you crossing the street and looking the other way?  What is your motive and motivation to serve the Lord?  Is it for recognition, pride, or position?  Who is doing the work of the Lord in your life?  Is it Christ working through you or are you out there striving and struggling to keep things afloat?

I have listed many questions today and I pray that you will take the time to truly ask the Lord to show you where you are at with these things.  Confess those things that you have carried on your own and ask the Lord to help you serve as Christ served, with a heart of compassion and pure love.

If our motives are anything but Christ-like then we are missing the whole purpose and the blessing!