Jesus Next Door: Loving Your Neighbor in Obedience to God

  The lightbulb went off in my mind.  Finally.  Although “Live like Jesus,” had been my mantra for so long, it had failed to sink into one specific area of my life.  The area I wrongly compartmentalized as my “own.”

The neighbors.

 I had been a recluse from those living directly around me for such a very long time.  I was like Batman.  The garage door went up and out I went.  Door back down.  {Insert a long day here.}  The door went up.  I drove in.  Door back down. 

 I remember the lightbulb moment so clearly.  I was evaluating my life. 

Does this part look like Jesus?  It’s getting there.  Does this area resemble Jesus? That area is pretty strong.  Does this part of me follow Jesus? That part is really growing.  

I clearly remember asking myself the next question.  “Do I treat my neighbors like Jesus would treat my neighbors.” Crickets.  I dug deeper.  “If I moved away and someone told my neighbors that Jesus himself had been living next door…how would they respond?”  I couldn’t deny the truth.

The realistic answer to my self-evaluation shook me to the core.  I had kept that one little part of my life so private, so hidden away.  If my neighbors had ever been told, “Hey, did you guys know Jesus has been living next door the past five years?” they would have been stunned, in disbelief, hurt, and a little angry. 

I imagined their responses would sound something like this, “If Jesus was living next door, why did He never visit me?  Why didn’t He want to know me?  Why didn’t we ever talk?”  The thought broke my heart.

Hold the phone for one second.  I know I am not Jesus.  I certainly hope you are aware of the drastic difference between my sinful life and the perfect life of Jesus.  BUT: Shouldn’t Jesus be my example?  Shouldn’t I strive to live a life that closely resembles His?  Shouldn’t He be my guide, my point of measure, so that I can bring glory to God by following Jesus?  Isn’t being a Christian all about being a follower of Jesus?  Yes.  Yes, my life should resemble the life of Jesus to the best of my ability and not even by my ability but by the very grace of Jesus and by His strength.  

So, there I was.  The questions were answered.  The life was evaluated.  The report card had a huge F in the “Love Thy Neighbor” category because I was literally not loving my neighbor.  I was flunking the second commandment.  There was no denying that, but I could repent and turn this thing around with the help of Jesus himself.

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ~Matthew 22:39

I began praying about opportunities to live like Jesus in my neighborhood.  I started seeking ways to show His love to the people around me.  Did I really even know these people?  There was room to grow.  Believe me.  
1) I began making friends with the neighbors beyond the surface-level small talk of the past five years.  I said more than “hello” and “goodbye,” and “What a nice day!”  I learned about them one by one.

 2) I began with simple stuff like handing out Vacation Bible School flyers to every home in our neighborhood.  You might think that I would have been doing this already because I was the VBS Director, but you would be wrong. I was actually just driving around with a stack of flyers in my car and thinking about handing them out to the neighborhood kiddos.  This is how you make an F in the spiritual category of “Loving Thy Neighbor.” Do not, I repeat: do not, follow the example of that season in my life.  I handed out flyers and broke the ice.  Neighborhood children came to VBS and learned about Jesus.  Praise the Lord!

3) Another neighbor and I decided to plan a neighborhood-wide garage sale. It was a hit!  We handed out more flyers to those who weren’t hiding from the crazy flyer ladies.  We paid for the ad in the paper and kept everyone up to date on permits and such.  Almost every family in the subdivision took part!  We bought food to share with the neighbors and on the day of the sale, another neighbor friend barbecued while we hand-delivered lunch plates to each garage of neighbors.  The sale was great!  The community connections were even better.  The streets were filled with happy people, laughter, and cooperation.

4)  I began planting flowers with one of my neighbors.  Then, she began planting flowers with another neighbor.  We had reason to get together on the nice afternoons and we enjoyed our time planting and talking.  We exchanged plants, soil, and decorative yard-things.  It was such a good time!  Sidenote: my front yard looked better than ever!

5) I planted a vegetable garden in my backyard with a big dream and very little actual gardening knowledge.  {Big shout-out to my gardening grandparents who pioneered and oversaw this entire endeavor.  I know all sorts of things about gardening now!} Another neighbor and I cared for the garden together and shared the produce with our neighbors a few cucumbers and zuchini at a time.  The conversations kept happening.  The friendships continued to form.  I wrote much more about my vision for the neighbor garden in this post, The Backyard Mission Field.

6) I found a few other opportunities to spread a bit of joy to my new friends.  Most of these involved passion on gently used items or gift-giving for various occassions.  I can tell you this, friends: keep your eyes open to what is happening in your little corner of the world.  Is anyone celebrating a birthday?  Keep your eyes peeled for new babies and weddings.  Look around at what you have.  You are done with that piece of baby gear?  Who might be blessed by that “thing” you no longer need?  Is it a way you can love your neighbor? I had great conversations over a bottle of Dreft I no longer needed and hand-me-down clothing my children outgrew.

Sweet friends, none of this is rocket science but my eyes had been closed.  God had put people directly around my very own home and I had ignored them.  

Maybe you accidentally find yourself in that place too?  It isn’t too late.  Walk outside.  Begin a conversation.  Just love people.  Really love them.  That is what Jesus would do if He lived inside your home.  

I cannot deny the blessings I received from getting to know my neighbors.  The people living around my little home were really wonderful to know.  I was missing out before.  As we have formed relationships, they found numerous opportunities to be a blessing to me as well.  From breakfast foods to jumper cables to flowers, they showered love on my family.  That is community the way God intended it.  People loving people.

Walk outside.  Love your neighbors.  Watch God move.

From my heart to yours,           ~Courtney

Update: I originally wrote this post in October 2015.  We moved four hours away nearly two years later in June 2017.  By the grace of God, two of my neighbors came to know the saving grace of Jesus.  This is not by my doing, but by Christ alone.  I thank God for allowing me to become a friend to this family because I was able to witness His saving power as this family joined Sunday School classes in church, enrolled in Vacation Bible School, formed friendships with their Pastor and other followers of Jesus, and surrendered their lives to Him.  Praise God that the Holy Spirit convicts us of our disobedience when we are ignoring our neighborhood.  Praise God that He had a plan for this family!  My prayer is that other families in my former neighborhood will come to know Jesus through this family’s new life in Him as they continue to form friendships with neighbors.  By His grace alone, may we obediently respond to His still, small voice.  Love people where you are, sweet friends.  We serve a mighty God!