BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR-TRANSFORM YOUR COMMUNITY

10 30 12 Be a Good Neighbor Transform Your Community    

Comments: Do you remember the slogan used by State Farm Insurance? “Like a good neighbor State Farm is there.” I read on the internet recently an article about a two ministers who lived in the Denver area and wanted to see if there were ways the churches they pastored could benefit the communities near them. In 2009 the two ministers invited twenty of their colleagues to a meeting they had set up with the mayor of the city of Denver, Bob Frie to seek an answer to the question, "How can we as churches best work together to serve our city?" Many topics common to cities were discussed as possible ministry opportunities. Such as; at-risk kids, run-down housing, child hunger, drug and alcohol abuse, loneliness, and shut-ins that have no one to visit or to check on them.

At some point in the discussion the mayor dropped this bomb shell: the majority of the issues our community faces could be eliminated or drastically reduced if we could figure out a way to become a community of great neighbors.

His insight was straight out of the bible. It was an answer given by Jesus to a question he was asked about what a person had to do in order to inherit eternal life. The text follows: Luke 10:25-28 (NIV) On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"  "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." Following this exchange Jesus went on to tell the parable of the “Good Samaritan.” (Luke 10:29-37)

Communities are divided all over America. Many have lost hope and when hope is gone you turn to anything that will dull the senses; drug and alcohol addiction. When parents are beaten down the children suffer. Failing schools are often a reflection of hope and dreams being lost. The communities around Denver like thousands in the USA need to love God completely, come to faith, and be a good neighbor. 

When Jesus came to this earth, he entered into a world of hate and violence. He came to love us and be our neighbor as well as our Savior. He established His Church and commissioned it to go into all the world and continue to love others in his behalf.  They were to go forth and proclaim the “gospel” of Christ and be good neighbors to all people. His presence and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit would work in them and through them to accomplish all he wanted them to do. 

The mayor’s insightful observation, of being a good neighbor, turns out to be God’s will for all his people. Being a good neighbor is a witness to the world of God’s love and is basic to the life and witness of the Church; “love your neighbor as yourself.”      

You may be wondering, “who is my neighbor?” Based on the parable above, your neighbor is everyone who lives around you; those you meet or encounter as you go through your daily routine. Your neighbor is everyone God brings into your life; your family, your church, your friends and your real next-door-neighbors; all are neighbors and all have needs. All need to be befriended, all need love and respect, and all occasionally need to be given a hand-up, and for sure, all will need to hear the “good news” about Jesus.

What neighbor did you encounter yesterday, today? Did you treat them as God treated you? Remember Jesus said, “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31).  Today, God wants you to be a good neighbor. He will bring someone into your life that needs His special touch and He will use you to deliver it. Be alert. The opportunity is coming.

Did the Lord speak to you today?  Why not write it down and claim it for His Glory.

Prayer:  What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He loves you!