If there was ever a time to give other people the benefit of the doubt this is it. In the book Church Scattered, I talk about the importance of Christians loving God with all their hearts and their neighbors as themselves.
This goes beyond the person who lives in your neighborhood and involves everyone who is in your relational network, especially people at work. However, the ability to influence your actual neighbors is an extremely effective way for them to see Christ in you.
So through acts of kindness we are practically demonstrating the love of Christ in tangible ways that people can appreciate. I have done all of the following over the years: dog sitter, grass mowing when on vacation or sick, furniture moving, watering plants, getting mail, loaning all manner of tools and lawn equipment, multiple greetings and positive conversations and most importantly of all hours of prayer.
We are letting people know that we care and as Christians we want them to see Christ in us loving them. The right balance of grace and truth has to be found in every interaction to move them closer to the gospel.
My neighborhood has an association that communicates primarily through a Facebook group page. I walk almost daily and have picked up on the incredible stress all of my neighbors are under. So in praying for them, the Holy Spirit led me to write this post on our FB page that tried to find the right amount of grace and truth.
Dear Neighbors: I first want to thank all of you for being such great neighbors. I also want to thank the association team members for leading us well.
I am many things but one of them is a minister. I am seeing a lot of very hurting people in my line of work. My ask of all of us during these extremely difficult times is to give others the benefit of the doubt instead of assuming the worst.
If you see trash in someone’s yard please don’t assume they don’t care. The trash could have been thrown out of a car window and they are in the hospital fighting for their lives and simply don’t know.
Bottom line, we rarely ever know the pain and struggles others are facing. So for me, if I see that trash, I’m picking it up for them believing they would do the same for me.
I can’t fix the world right now, only God can. However, I can be a gracious and kind neighbor who sincerely wants to help others. BTW I’m the old guy who walks in the mornings and I love all the waves and kind words.
Blessings
Dan
This post was seen by 146 people with 41 likes and 24 comments. The most meaningful one by far was a recent widow who is now living alone after 54 years of marriage. “We never know the challenges and pain that is behind each door.” We don’t but Christ does. He wants us to love them for Him. #churchscattered