We live in a time in which we have incredible access to information. This includes information about our faith. If we want to know when the Exodus happened, where Nazareth was, or what verses talk about angels, we can look them up in one of a thousand different resources.

We can also research end-times theories, in-depth genealogies, or the geography of Canaan. All of this is good.

However, we can’t lose sight of the relational nature of our faith. How we relate to other real flesh-and-blood people matters—a lot.

Here are just a few of the things Jesus said: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

I once heard about a man named Arnold Billie. He was a mail carrier in New Jersey. Since he was a mail carrier, he got to know people. Through conversations and observation, he got a sense of their lives, and sometimes of their needs. On his off time, he was even known to help a few of the elderly people on his route by mowing their lawns.*

Is the accumulation of information good? Absolutely. But we are at risk of going sideways if we are not also tending to the people around us.

Listen to Christ. Look around. And pay attention to the people that the Lord has put into your life.

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Notes:

-*Unfortunately, I lost the original source for this story.
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.