The Bystander Effect
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Back when many of us were growing up, we knew our next-door neighbors and the people who lived in our community. Today, if we know just the people next door, it's impressive. In 1964, Kitty Genovese was raped and murdered. It was reported that many people heard or witnessed the attack and did nothing. Psychologists call this 'the bystander effect.' They used this case as proof to claim that we are becoming a culture of strangers. Even as believers, we're often cold and uninvolved with those around us. The Gospel calls us to get involved with the world and to share the good news with those who are perishing. Would you let someone be murdered right in front of your eyes if you were able to stop it? No, of course not. Yet, when we don't share the good news of salvation with our neighbors when we're able, we do the same thing. Yes, you are your neighbor's keeper. Thus, open your mouth, share, and bless them with the Gospel. Don't let them perish, because you are your neighbor's keeper.
From Message #486 - End Time Love
Today's Mission
Today, take up the mission of being your brother's keeper. Look for opportunities to share the Gospel, help the needy, and reach out to those around you.
Scripture: Mark 16:15
Rabbi Jonathan Cahn