Being A Good Neighbor Family

Chuckle: "Middle age is when the broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places!"

"I do not ask for mighty words To leave the crowd impressed; But grant that my life may ring so true My neighbor may be blessed." --Unknown Author

"Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law" (Romans 13:8 HCSB). "Love does no harm to a neighbor. . ." (Romans 13:10 HCSB).

Christianity is a religion of relationships -- a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and relationships with other people. One lady made this observation: "I've watched Christian families over the years. One thing I have noticed is that they seem to be more interested in being at church day and night for meetings or services than in developing their family relationships. Why should I sacrifice my family in order to serve God?" Unfortunately, this observation has a ring of truth for some of us. It is our responsibility to model the Biblical Christian family for our neighbors and let them see the love of Christ demonstrated by the way we live day by day?

In this technological society, more and more communications are being conducted electronically and interpersonal exchanges and relationships are suffering as a result. Kids live on their cell phones, watching television, listening to their ipods, or playing video games. Families seem to spend less and less time together. Next door neighbors often do not know one another's names and never develop personal relationships. As Christians, our goal should be to model the life of Jesus. He sought one-on-one encounters with people of all walks of life and he taught us to love our families and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

How many of our neighbors see Christ being modeled in your life and mine? Because of our reluctance to build warm relationships with family and neighbors, how many are forced to observe our Christian life from a distance and form their opinions about Christianity based on those observations? To live out the sacrifice of worship is a Christian duty that extends beyond our church families to how we live as citizens, family members, and neighbors.

In our passage, Paul's emphasis is on the obligation of Christians to love others -- an obligation that can never be paid in full since the law of love has no limits. This love should extend well beyond our own church families to non-Christian neighbors -- the kind of self-sacrificing love produced only by God's Holy Spirit.

I encourage you to reflect on the quality of your relationships with others, beginning with your own family and nearby neighbors. Is your life one that draws others to Christ or pushes them away? Jesus socialized with sinners who considered him a friend. How do your neighbors see you -- as engaging or isolated? Do they know you up close, from a distance, or not at all?

Love, Jerry & Dotse