Psalm Meditation 1156 ¶Proper 15 ¶August 14, 2022 ¶Psalm 11 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+11&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶Some of us will have heard, and said, “People don’t neighbor the way they used to.” And while there is a kernel of truth, there is just as much that is not true. Many who say this are thinking back to a time in which the folks who lived around us were just like us. We could neighbor with them because we had so many characteristics and behaviors in common. So, many of us do not neighbor with the folks who live near us because the neighborhood has become much more diverse than it was originally. ¶We continue to neighbor with ‘our kind’ of people. We have to travel a ways to get to our ‘neighbors,’ to enjoy the company of people with whom we have something in common. The psalmist tells us that, “...the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.” It serves as a reminder that God enjoys the company of people who enjoy the company of God. Do we get to brag about being in God’s in-crowd? Not really. Folks who brag about anything are not usually in as ‘brag-able’ a place as they claim. ¶While we may be among those who enjoy the company of God, it is important to remember that God invites and welcomes all who will come. We are not special due to any effort on our part nearly as much as we are made special by the steadfast, abiding love of God. So, rather than feel good about our special place in the presence of God, we do well to live as if God has a place for each person. When we live as neighbors of God, we can more readily invite folks into God’s presence. ¶August 8, 2022 ¶LCM