Since we ARE world citizens whether we support isolationism or not, I’ve named this blog “Be a REALLY GOOD World Citizen.” Or as Mr. Rogers would say, “Please Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Hi Neighbor.”

In the past, a person in a different hemisphere wasn’t necessarily a neighbor. Very few of us crossed an ocean in a whole lifetime. Not so any more. We could be in India by tomorrow night.

I believe our generation is to love our (literal) neighbors as ourselves but also love our global neighbors as ourselves. SO many neighbors are not our enemies!

We can learn how to educate slum kids in India. We can learn how to support Palestinian Christian churches. We can learn how to fund water projects in Mexico. I’m not saying each of us should do it ALL, but I AM suggesting that each of us can pick one global focus.

In these divisive times, we can come up with solutions that make us better global citizens. Solutions that bind us together, create real change, build bridges, and say yes to Jesus’ instruction to “be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Isolationism says “bring back manufacturing jobs,” but automation is a big cause for these losses, not globalization alone. And I WANT jobs for our US citizens. (I started DenverWorks which is all about jobs. That’s how important it is to me.) Yet I want to see other nations’ economies prosper too. It doesn’t have to be either/or.

Isolationism says “America First” but we Americans (5% of the world’s population) use 25% of the world’s resources and produce 30% of the world’s waste.* Seems Americans have been putting ourselves first for a long time.

Isolationism says “build walls,” but Jesus said (in Matthew 22:39) to love your neighbor as yourself. How would you feel if your neighbor built a giant wall to keep you out?

Call me naïve, but I believe there’s room to take care of our own AND be REALLY GOOD world citizens. I don’t think the Golden Rule has a geographical boundary.

Daily Seed: What neighbor (local or global) is on your mind today? Love that person.

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:18b)

*(http://exposedconsumerism.weebly.com/fast-facts.html)