Your Neighbor vs. The World

Sometimes we're so busy saving the world that we forget to help the guy next door.

This fact was brought to my mind on Saturday as I tried to do some research for this blog. I intended to gather information so that I could write my final post for last week. (I try to post every weekday; last week I had missed Friday, and needed to catch up.) And so, on two separate occasions on Saturday, I took my laptop to a quiet, studious place in order to write my belated post and start thinking about some posts for this week.

On both occasions, as I headed to my quiet spot, I encountered friends who needed my assistance - one with moving into her new apartment; one with talking through a difficult situation. This posed an interesting dilemma: do I act responsibly and complete my over-due research so that I may be faithful to my readers? or do I help my friends with their needs?

I chose to help my friends. A few years ago, I would not have done so. I hope that my readers will forgive me.

It's the old Good Samaritan story. We aspire to act like the Samaritan, who stopped to help a stranger in need. But how often are we more like the priest and the Levite who went before the Samaritan? Both of these men were so busy serving in the temple that they could not find time to serve a person who was truly in need.

Do we do this in our companies? Do we donate a large percentage of our profits to charity, but refuse to support fundraisers for the local Boy Scout troop or football boosters? Do we send volunteers to help dig wells in Africa, but forget to give time to help clean up the community park? Do we brag about how our products improve the lives of our customers, but treat our own employees with lack of respect and appreciation?

Continue to change the world. But start in your own backyard.