The issue is not lawyer’s self-justifying question, "Who is my neighbor?" We have neighbors--not neighbors in theory, as we might like to talk about neighborliness in a Bible study, but real neighbors. We don’t live somewhere in theory, we live somewhere in particular. We have a street address. And the odds are very great that somewhere in our neighborhood someone needs some help and hope. The issue, as Jesus puts it, is whether we will be a neighbor to those who need a neighbor. But how will we discover who those persons are? How will we do the first thing that must happen in any Good Samaritan story: see the person in the ditch with the need!?
Given the nature of modern life, seeing our neighbors in any meaningful way is likely to be a problem. We are so busy with work, activities, hobbies, and for some of us, church meetings, and, yes, let’s be honest, favorite TV shows, we may not take the time for neighborliness.
Furthermore, this is California, where a fundamental belief is that good fences make good neighbors. Good neighbors are those who keep to themselves and don’t stick their noses in anyone’s business. But maybe we’ve gone too far with that privatization of life. A turning point for me in my suburban neighborhood was the day when I saw my next-door neighbor outside with playing catch with his four year old daughter while keeping an eye on a toddler who was banging away on some plastic toys. Pointing to the cute toddler, I asked him if he was babysitting for someone. Well, no, he said, this is our child. I was mortified, didn’t even know what to say, since, here his wife went through her whole pregnancy, gave birth, cared for an infant and raised the kid to toddlerhood and Sue and I knew nothing about it, and they live right next door to us! Something was wrong with this picture, from both sides of the fence!
And even if we know something about our neighbors, have we really seen them, in the sense of the Good Samaritan story—seen them in their actual need? Do we really have any idea what life is like for someone just a few doors down from us? What ditches of suffering are there across the street from us? Do we know? Well, shouldn’t we, if we love with the heart of Christ?
While still stinging with embarrassment over my complete ignorance of my next-door neighbors’ family addition, I learned of a way of getting in touch with our neighborhoods that really seemed non-nosy, to be easy to do and true to the gospel of Jesus. It’s been in our church newsletter and I think I’ve probably briefly mentioned it in a sermon or two.
The basic idea is simple. You pray for your neighborhood, not just in general, but specifically, house by house, apartment by apartment. One way it can work looks like this: you get out of your house and walk around your neighborhood. If you wish, you may pause briefly out on the sidewalk or street in front of each dwelling and inwardly pray for God’s presence and blessing to be with those who live there. Then you move on to the next home and so on. You commit to doing this regularly, week after week, for at least a year. Hey, the exercise will be good for you! (If you cannot walk, consider praying while driving. And if you are unable to get out regularly sit by your front window and pray, for each home, each family that you know, just briefly, but do it at least five days a week all year long).
But for now picture yourself walking your neighborhood and praying inwardly for God’s blessing upon each household. In so praying, you are being like the Good Samaritan, because via prayer, you are carrying the needs of your neighbors to the inn of the Savior, where the mercy and power of God will begin the gospel work of healing. This is a relief to know, because it means we don’t have to worry about getting overly involved, thinking that we alone have to fix them. We cannot fix anyone—that’s God’s work! Our work is just to pray.
I’ve been doing this for some time now and find that I am much more aware of my neighborhood, in a positive way. It’s like it is no longer OK just to drive in and out of my garage without thinking about the people who live on my street. But there’s more: as we begin to see our neighborhoods in a new light, we will discover that God will put specific neighbors in our path along the way. One morning, as I was heading home after my walk, there coming toward me on the sidewalk, walking his old dog, was a neighbor I’d seen several times before, usually while I was driving away. But now I stopped and greeted him and found out his name and told him mine. Now we greet each other and wave to each day.
As time goes on, people will get used to seeing us walking around and may stop to talk a bit longer. As that happens we need to ready and willing to listen. Maybe they will ask us for specific help, and of course, if we are able, we will help. About a month ago, I was out working in my yard when the same neighbor I’d met out walking his dog came across the street and asked if I could help him get a flat tire off his car. He has a disability, I learned, and couldn’t loosen the lug nuts. So I went over and helped him. Thus I learned more about my neighbor and the relationship notched up another level.
So when the need is simple and direct and within our powers to deal with, we help. But maybe our neighbor will begin to share a more personal problem, one we ought not to try to fix. That’s when you and I need ask them if they would have any objection to adding them to our prayer list of special concerns. See, up to know, they don’t know you’ve been praying for them. But now you tell them you promise you will pray for them and their need every day. At this stage you are not in any way interfering with their lives, only praying for them, only bringing them via your heart, to the Inn of the divine healer.
Keep in mind that we are not talking about instant results. All good things take time, and this is certainly a situation of goodness. With the passing of time and with continual walking and praying around the neighborhood, we begin to see our neighbors with the eyes of Christ, and feel a sense of human kinship. We may invite them over for a barbeque, a lunch, dinner, or conversation. A neighbor may with amazement report that their lives have taken a turn for the better, and then of course, we will rejoice with them. And at the right time, a time God will show us, we may be able to talk to them about Christ and the joy of being the Church, and bring them to worship so that they may experience first hand the reality of the healing presence of God in this inn of faith called a church.
Thus, we become channels of peace and love in our neighborhoods, as through prayer and faithfulness to Christ, we lift wounded people out of the ditches of life and bring them into the healing presence of God. Jesus is interested in us being neighbors like that. Amen.