One day, two men were fishing when a game warden slipped up on them and asked to see their fishing licenses. One of the men took off running, so the warden started chasing him.

He ran after the man up and down the side of the river, through the swamp, up the side of a mountain. The man swam across the river with the warden right behind him. Then he swam back across the river with the warden still on his tail.

Finally, after about 3 miles of chasing, the game warden caught up with the man, bleeding and out of breath. The warden asked to see his fishing license. The man reached into his pocket and pulled out his license and handed it to the warden.

The warden asked, “Why did you run?” The man just looked at the warden and smiled and said, “My friend doesn’t have a license!”

Philippians 2:4 says, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

The interests of others. Charity is all about the interests of others. What they need not just physically but emotionally, spiritually, at the basic level of their soul. We can get trapped into thinking that someone’s interests must match mine before I decide to help. Too different … too bad. Doesn’t like my music, doesn’t go to my church, doesn’t live the way I do … I’m not interested.

And it is exactly those things that should make us interested. How can we witness to people if we don’t understand them at a basic level? How can we find the way to bring Christ into their lives if we don’t understand why their lives are as they are. Paul witnessed to the Gentiles. He lived as they did, ate what they did and then showed how Christ was there with them just like anywhere else.

This season, try to connect with that neighbor that just glares at you as you go by. Say something nice to the stocker at the store who always has their head buried in their work. Ask your significant other how they’re doing … and mean it when you ask.

At the basest level, food, shelter and love are all any of us need or want to have peace in our souls. It will be slightly different for many, but you may find they have more in common with what you believe than you know.

Come to church! Get to know a church and its people … and the Savior we are celebrating. Presbyterian service is at 11 a.m. every Sunday in the sanctuary (402 Elm Ave.) and live on Facebook.