How to Live a Meaningful Lifeنموونە

Being a Good Neighbor

When you think about a neighbor, what comes to mind? Maybe someone who lives around you. Maybe just anyone you have an opportunity to interact with. 

Think about the people who live around you. Would you say you know them? Let’s take it a step further and consider this question: What would it look like for you to love your neighbor to the point where they feel loved by you? 

It’s a big question, but it’s not a new question. During Jesus’ time on earth, people had similar questions about who their neighbor is and what it looks like to be a good one.  

Jesus responded with a story to help us understand what it looks like to be a good neighbor, which we’ll read today in Luke 10. But the key takeaway? Being a good neighbor looks like being willing to sacrifice your comfort for the sake of compassion. It looks like showing mercy and kindness and taking an active role in people’s lives—not a passive one. 

Kristy, Alex, and Elora know what it’s like to neighbor well. Alex and Elora are roommates who have been friends for years. Kristy later moved into their neighborhood with her husband and five children. 

Alex’s parents generously host neighborhood block parties, and at one of those parties, Kristy and Alex meet. Alex feels prompted to reach out and start a friendship with her—despite their very different stages of life. 

Eventually, all three of them meet and now share an incredible friendship. Each had to overcome certain barriers—Alex is visually impaired, Elora has a disability, and Kristy is juggling motherhood with five little ones. And yet the three of them became the best of friends, all because they were willing. Willing to admit they needed one another, willing to start a relationship with people who have different lives, and willing to be vulnerable and invest in their friendship. 

Their story reminds us of the power of showing up. They visit one another often. They text one another encouraging Scriptures. And they even have a fun little owl that they send back and forth with notes of encouragement, watercolor paintings, and little gifts. 

Maybe you feel like you could never get to that point with your neighbors. And that’s okay. Everyone’s neighboring situation will be different. But God has placed you where you are for a reason. How might you invest in in the people around you? You might be surprised at how much meaning it adds to your life. 

Pray: God, I sometimes find myself overlooking the people around me or worried that our interactions will feel awkward or uncomfortable. Give me the courage to meet a neighbor today and to show love to others around me. Also, help me be vulnerable to admit when I need something from my neighbor. Use me to make a difference no matter where I am, and open my eyes to the needs in front of me. In Jesus’ name, amen.