Do you love your neighbor?

Not much? There are people who wait for months
for a smile.

 

I have always held the door for anyone behind me. I will even wait a few extra seconds for the stragglers. My boys have picked up on it and do it as well. Most people say thank you and look at you like they have never had anyone do that for them.

 

I absolutely love my neighbor 100%.

I just don't always like 'em all the time.

 

I had fun last summer giving fruit to my neighbors.
It was really no big deal for me, because the fruit
would have rotted on the ground if I had not, but
they appreciated it.

One "good deed" disturbed me, however. As 31
Oct was approaching, as I have done for years, I
planned to make sure the neighborhood children
knew that we did not celebrate halloween but that
this did not mean that we did not love and
appreciate them.

We were still fairly new in the neighborhood, so I
decided to go to the neighbors and speak to the
parents before I gave the children the little gifts
we had bought for them, so that they would
understand why I was giving things to their
children.

At one home, their immediate thought was that I
was there to invite them to church, and there was
a particular obvious disdain and sadness in their
faces and voices when they asked. It made me
wonder what traumas they had suffered -- this
family with several children and interesting adult
activity on occasion.

 

WS: I'm with you on the smile thing. Sometimes I smile just to GET a smile. It is really hard for people not to smile back at you.

Who are my neighbors? I try to be nice to everyone (I don't always make it). I am the first one to apologize though; even if the other person was wrong.

If I know someone is sick or has a sick child, I always make enough supper for us and their family too.

I try to be a good listener, but I sure do like to talk.

I wish people neighbored like they used to. I miss having chats over the fence and sitting out in the yard visiting on a summer evening.

Ahhh, the good old days. <sigh>


Sue

 

Yes Sir, Yes Mam, No Sir, No Mam go along way as well. My boys are experts. Now if I can just get them to wear a belt.

I love my neighbor across the street even though he is a known drug dealer. About 5 weeks ago 2 county narcotics officiers came to house and told us we had to evacute the neighborhood. Our neighbor had several automatic weapons, drugs and 2 bombs. We were out on our ears for about 6 hours. The bomb squad used my yard to park their bomb tank. Several explosions rocked out our neighborhood.

He is out of jail and back home. I don't know how?Yet, I love my neighbors, but are very cautious of them.

 

Oh my, Gib, what an experience. The nearest thing like that in our neighborhood was a man who had several guns and was threatening to kill himself. I couldn't get back to my house for about 4 hours. We have two schools near us so they had to do something before school let out.
It ended peaceably with no injuries.

I appreciate your opening doors. I always like that, but I am afraid independent women have stopped it in a way and I agree about teenagers who do not respect other people.

I smile a lot also, and most people return the smile and don't wonder what I am up to

I am on a waving relationship with all my neighbors except one. The neighbor I know is moving away

People are just not as friendly as they used to be.

Now my dog muffin, he has his friends. Some he loves and some he doesn't like at all (other dogs)
He loves all people.

I try to be courteous to anyone I encounter.

 

You know Abiyah, my son used to hide when he saw a certain man visiting from church. He wanted Tim to play basketball and Tim didn't want to. He would not take "no"for an answer.

Now this was a man from our church. Perhaps something similar happened to this family, but it was more like they didn't want to go to the specific church. Just a thought.

 

Do you love your neighbor?

Not all of them, all of the time. This is something that is a work in progress for me. I praise God that I have come as far as I have.

How do you show this love?

It's easy to show love to the neighbor I love. But for those who I don't love, the way I should, sometimes the only thing I can do is smile, and keep my mouth shut as I pray in my head for God to seal my mouth!!!

For those who are easily loved?? Anything from a sympathic ear to making them dinner to a note in the mail......little things like that to let them know that someone is thinking of them, and appreciates them.

Do you show compassion even when you think you could fix their problem?

When "bold honesty" is in order, that is what I deliver. When my girlfriend keeps making the same poor desision over and over and over, and wonders why this keep happening..........
I will let her know that she is not using her brain!!!! But when it's an honest mistake, and I am not asked for "advice" I can show compassion.....and I pray alot.

Are you pleasant at all times?

Oh my. NO. I would love to be, and if someone has the recipe, would you please share it???
I strive for this, but have yet to accomplish it.

What do you do to show Christ through you?

That would depend on the situation.
In everyday life?? I cannot put a finger on a specific "thing"......I am a "baby" Christian, but I speak of Him daily to the kids, and try to model what He would do.......

Good Questions!!

laura

 

One of the best videos on this subject is published by Focus on the Family, called "Norman". I highly recommend it.

 

Laurenda,

When I posted my rely, I did so with the "Biblical meaning" of neighbor in mind!!

This was a great question. I enjoy seeing what others say. I have been a believer for 4 years now, and I find it amazing...just amazing.

laura

 

I try to. Really, I do. I have trouble with it sometimes. And I also find that smiling gets me in trouble; too many men around here think I'm coming on to them.

I hold doors, ask the person at the checkout how they're doing, ask how much longer they have to be there (that always seems to get a smile - friends who've worked retail say that their day gets made by just one nice, interested customer who doesn't just treat them like a robot), always thank people, even the woman at the garage to whom I hand over 5 bucks day after day and it feels like they should thank me!

And it bothers me that when I ask someone how they are, they just nod, if even that. When I ask, it's because I'm interested! Otherwise, I can just say "Hi."

If someone wants to talk, I'll listen, and although I've been late a few times because of a conversation I got into with someone at the grocery who just needed to tell anyone that they're having a rough time of it, it's worth it.

Generally, I'm happy to make someone smile, even it's the only time they do so all day.

It's interesting, Laurenda, that you asked about showing compassion even when you can fix the problem, or to elaborate, when the other person just isn't thinking. That's been happening with a friend of mine. Sometimes I want to shake her and just say, "Think, for a second! Don't be such an idiot!" but I don't. Instead, I listen, and gently offer a suggestion, which she usually ignores, but then comes up with it "on her own" a bit later.

 

Sue --

I have no idea what had happened, and I did not
ask the child who thought I was trying to get him
to go to church. Regardless, it made me think. I
have tried to just show them the love of our God in
action, and I hope I am doing that. But as summer
is coming, I wonder if I could do more --
something specific and non-frightening to them.
They so need our Lord.

All of my neighbors but one have been friendly,
and that family recently moved. They had a cross
in their window, but when I mentioned it, they
seemed angry. Most of the time they seemed
angry. What can one do.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Laurenda --

My trouble spot is not strangers; for me, it is
easy to be friendly to them, because there is no
commitment involved. For me, the trouble spot is
my neighborhood. One must be ready to take on
whatever results from friendliness with a direct
neighbor, because they are not the proverbial
"ships that pass in the night," and sometimes,
I have found the task too much for me.

I believe, and I am sure you agree, that our Lord
included them as well.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I liked that video. Thank you for reminding me.

 

Not at half 5 in the morning when he starts up his farm machinery!

Cheers,

Jim

 

Well, I'm nice and talk and help out however I can, however I also am praying for the three I have the most contact with to MOVE MOVE MOVE! Right now it's one gone two to go.
Gina