Look at Your Good Neighbors

They help every one his neighbor; and every one saith to his brother, Be of good courage.--Isa. 41: 6 (A.S. Version).

This was a company of workmen--a company that included carpenters, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, all such as work with tools. It is inspiring to see these workmen, all busy at their respective tasks, and all so kindly and helpful one to the other.

Imagine this company enlarged to include all the people the world over--what an inspiring and thrilling sight that would be!

This picture has a message for us, one we very much need in these cruel times.

We look so much on the dark pictures of cruelty, of man’s inhumanity to man, it is a relief to have our attention drawn to such a bright picture as this Isaiah sets before us, a scene where brotherly kindness is shown, where men work together harmoniously and helpfully, where the spirit of magnanimity is displayed.

We don’t have to go back to Isaiah’s time for such a picture. We have all around us today many such people as these the prophet describes.

One need not go beyond his own town to find fellow-workmen, fellow-tradesmen, neighbors and friends who mingle together happily, who are mutually kind and generous in their relationships, who are ever ready to serve each other as occasion may require, who always have a word of good cheer for one another as they go about their daily toil, and especially when one or the other faces some difficulty or trouble.

Such pictures are common in every community.

After all, there is a great deal of generosity and tender sympathy in the world, else such agencies as the Community Chest and Red Cross could not long survive.

It is usually bad people who get themselves paraded before the public. And seeing so much of the meanness of men as we do, lest we become cynical, we need more often to have our attention drawn to the human kindness and goodness that abound in society.

There are more good people who are every day living noble lives and doing noble things than some of us realize. You may have some mean neighbors but don’t focus your attention on them. Look at your good neighbors!