Ah, summertime…  Time for travel and vacation, outdoor activities, family reunions, and backyard barbeques. Summertime is also when many people relocate and move into new neighborhoods. We’ve all been the new neighbor at some point in life, and we all know what a blessing it is when people across the street or down the street have reached out to us. People we don’t know stop by to introduce themselves, or maybe bring a  “welcome to the neighborhood” gift. This goes a long way to help us know who our neighbors are. This act of neighboring helps to break the ice as we begin know those who live near us.

What does it mean to be a good neighbor today? Sometime ago, I listened to a speaker who said that in our parents’ generation a good neighbor was understood to be someone nearby and who you could call on to help in an emergency, watch your kids if you had to step out, borrow and share things with, etc. This same speaker went on to say that today, a good neighbor is understood as someone who is quiet and leaves you alone. Quite a difference over the last 50+ years in what a good neighbor looks like. It’s very easy to drive in and out of our neighborhoods without interacting with anyone as we go from our house to our garage to our car. Front porches where people used to sit and chat with neighbors have given way to backyard decks where privacy is the valued commodity. Is something missing here? In the midst of virtual connections and online communications, how do we reclaim the blessing of neighboring?

There are resources available to help us do this very thing. Through Lutheran Hour Ministries, a new initiative is now in placed called Home - The Hopeful Neighborhood Project. Their motto is: “We help you create the neighborhood you’ve always wanted.” From their website, the following introduction makes clear the pressing need for this:

Believe it or not, unconnected neighborhoods lead to isolation, unfair systems, and unhealthy environments. Here’s what we know to be true: there’s not a neighborhood without neighbors and unfortunately, we know our neighbors less today than at any other point in our history. We live in a culture where everyone goes inside, shuts their doors, and keeps to themselves, which makes it really awkward to try and engage with your neighbors past a wave and a smile. The Hopeful Neighborhood Project exists to help you break through that awkwardness, so you can create the type of neighborhood where everyone knows each other and works together to actively pursue the common good.

Jesus redefined what it means to be neighbor when he was asked the question, “And who is my neighbor?” At this time, it was widely believed that a neighbor was the person who looked like you, talked like you, believed like you. You owed nothing to the outsider and foreigner. In response to the question and this underlying belief, Jesus told the well-known parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37 ESV - The Parable of the Good Samaritan - And - Bible Gateway). From this, we learn that a neighbor is anyone who needs my help, regardless of who the individual is or where they’re from. A neighbor’s heart is filled with compassion on seeing a person in need. A neighbor is willing to interrupt what he or she is doing, get their hands dirty, and expend personal and financial support if that’s called for. Having told this parable, Jesus called on the man who asked the question, “And who is my neighbor?”, to “Go and do likewise.” What Jesus said to that man, He says to each one of us as well. We are to go and do likewise, being Christ to our neighbor and seeing Christ in our neighbor.

In this summer season, this is a call for all of us to get to know our neighbors. Begin with prayer. Walk your neighborhood, and as you walk lift up to the Lord in prayer the needs and concerns of your neighborhood. You may not even know who lives around you, but don’t let this hold you back. You may not know your neighbors, but the Lord does. Pray that the Lord would open hearts and minds, and that He would create opportunities to bring people together. This concept is called prayer walking, and it is very important as a first step. Spend some days just walking your neighborhood and saturating it in prayer. Pray that the Lord would use you to connect people not only with one another, but also with the Lord and his redeeming love.

After this time of prayer, consider how best to bring your neighbors together – barbeque, block party, dessert night, etc. Continue praying for God’s guidance in this. As we start to get connected with people, we become aware of needs they may have, and how we can be Christ to our neighbor. This opens the door for building relationships of trust, and all of this takes time. Don’t expect miracles overnight. Like anything else in life, all of this takes time. Be patient, and continue to pray.

Seeing where we live – our own neighborhood, the street we live on – as our personal mission field may seem like a big step. This might move us way outside our comfort zone, but the truth is that we have the best news in the world to share with people – news that makes an eternal difference in the lives of people. The good news of Jesus Christ and his great love for all people is a powerful and transforming thing. Surveys indicate that some 80% of people who do not go to church would be willing to do so if they were asked by someone they know. But how do we get to that point of inviting someone to come to church with us? Maybe it begins with something as simple as welcoming your new neighbors, seeing them through the eyes of Jesus who loves us all.