Neighbors

Neighborliness is disappearing, according to a writer in a contemporary magazine. What was formerly meant in that word is now combined in corner store, newspaper, telephone, and television. One does not need to borrow a pound of sugar from a neighbor if there is a chain store across the street. Newspapers and television give the news, and telephones unite friends who live across the city but who are not close neighbors.

There is a neighborliness, however, that is necessary and which can be used of God in witnessing. The article mentioned above told of an accident that occurred in a farm community. When the news came to one family, the father and mother immediately set out to help. While the father went to help the man who had been injured, the mother sat down beside the wife, who reached over and took the visitor's hand. The neighbor put her arm around the upset woman, but said nothing. Soon the grieving one put her head on the neighbor's shoulder. Some months later, she came to visit the neighbor who had been of such comfort and said, "As long as I live, I will never forget the way you came and sat down by me. When you were with me, it seemed as if I were getting hold again." "There wasn't anything I could do," replied the neighbor miserably. "You didn't need to do anything," the other woman said, "I just wanted somebody there - somebody that cared."

The Christian who takes time to be friendly, to be neighborly, often without an accompaniment of preaching, will find that when there is a spiritual need, his influence will be doubly acceptable. I know of one instance where a woman spoke to a neighbor about the Lord and had her witness rejected. For five years she continued being friendly and neighborly without ever speaking about the Lord. One day the one in need came to the Christian and said, "For five years I have remembered what you said about God. I have never been able to get away from it and I want you to tell me how I may become a Christian. I am tired of living as I am living now."

One summer on a transatlantic steamer we met a young woman who had just graduated from one of America's foremost universities. She had come to the church service on the boat and had afterwards opened a conversation that made it possible for me to witness to her. She asked if, practically, people were really profiting in their personal lives by the faith we were teaching. I happened to know a strong Christian who had graduated in the same class from the same school, so I mentioned her name. I was immediately answered by a frank admission that I was right. "There was not anything she was unwilling to do for the other girls." The neighborliness had been an effective witness for the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. What can neighborliness teach us about being like Christ?
2. If our neighbors actually knew who we were, how would our lives and ministry to the community change? Would it?
3. Does the good Samaritan parable teach us anything about being a good neighbor? If so, what does it teach us?