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| Loving Your Neighbor |
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Being in Colorado Springs for a few days, was a big change from the type of life I normally live. I live out in the country, and our neighbors are not very close to us. We are spread out a reasonable distance. Being in the city, that is not the case. There are people everywhere you go. Cars and cars and more cars (you wouldn't know there is a problem with gas prices!). And houses built so close together you can hear the neighbor snoring at night...ok, maybe I exaggerate a bit about that. But you get the idea. Living this close to your neighbor shines a whole new light on the phrase, "love your neighbor".
I asked myself if I really love my neighbor. It is easy to love your neighbor when they are far away, don't bother you, are quiet and you hardly know they are there. But when you neighbor lives practically on top of you, rides a Harley, and decides to start it up on a quiet, peaceful weeknight, as you are trying to relax, do you love him or her?
Or if you live on the end of a street, in a cul-de-sac, and your neighbor continually parks just in front of your driveway so that you have trouble squeezing in your drive, do you still love him or her?
And don't even talk to me about dogs...if your neighbor has a dog that is continually yapping, do you still love them, or do you feel like committing murder? There was a man in the Cleveland area who did shoot his neighbor, after they were setting off fire crackers. He had just enough of the noise and as he put it, "I just snapped". How far are you away from "snapping"?
There is no doubt, there are many people who are not good neighbors. They take an extra dose of our patience and prayers to live next to. But how are we doing as neighbors? Do we aggravate our neighbors to the point of making them "snap"? Do we offer a helping hand when they need it? I'll never forget when our house was robbed, and my neighbors came over to be with us until we got done with the police. It was a comfort having them there. Not that they did anything special, other than giving support, but that was what was needed at the time.
May we all take the time to make sure we are being the kind of neighbor that we should be, rather than complaining about the neighbors we have or what they do. When God said to love our neighbors, he wasn't saying just the ones that don't bother you. He meant it for everyone. And not only our physical neighbors, who live next to us, but any neighbor we come in contact with throughout our days of life.
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| OH MY GOSH DEB, ARE WE EVER ON THE SAME PAGE TODAY!!! HAHHAHAA!! |
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Do you and Mike have a conspiracy going against me or something? Or is it God trying to tell me something??? lol I've lived in apartment buildings and all sorts of things since being a Christian, and yeah, I've had very evil thoughts when they crank their Satanic music up all night, then come home drunk and rev their souped up Honda in the parking lot, and do it to spite us....all this, and pregnancy hormones to boot! lol That was a trial...a test I miserably failed. What a great point you have here! |
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Jen |
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May 28, 2008 at 1:49pm |
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I live in an apartment. Thin walls. No such thing as a private phone call because of that. I've heard my neigbors snoring (not a big deal; I laugh at it). On some holidays, kids go out in the parking lot and set up those exploding caps, one after another after another. It's annoying, but more importanly it scares my guinea pigs. Other residents have stopped them. Loud music on and on and on bugs me. I think tolerating it is sometimes love. I think that not tolerating it is sometimes love, too. It's best to say something directly and respectfully to the person. Otherwise, if it bugs you, it will come out in some way, perhaps in the form of impatience toward people who aren't the source of the problem. If talking to them doesn't change it, then the landlord (or in the case of the kids, maybe the police). |
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| Deb,
An amen goes right there! Good word... it shall bless someone today.
Pastor Aminata |
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Deb |
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May 28, 2008 at 2:08pm |
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Mike, I just got done reading your blog. All I can say is great minds think alike! Must be some message God is trying to get through today!
Lara, I honestly did not know Mike had written about neighbors. I find it funny that we were on the same page today. I think perhaps God is trying to get a message across, so maybe it was a consipiracy, with God in charge!
Jen, we haven't lived in an apartment for ages. I do remember it though...and I can't say that I remember anything about my neighbor except the occasional noise they made. Apartment dwelling would be the height of patience!
Pastor Aminata, thank you, and it is sure good to hear from you! Haven't seen you in a while! |
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| I lived in the Chicago-land area for about 10 years and got used the police sirens and hip hop music blaring so everyone on the block could hear it. ( I miss those days) However, I moved to a small rural town in Bloomfield, IN. What a change. It was sheriff cars and country music. However, what was consistent in both places was that they were people wanting to be loved. As you pointed out, loving our neighbor is an opportunity we Christians have to show Christ to people who live around us. |
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Deb |
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May 28, 2008 at 2:45pm |
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| Pastor Tim, amen to that! We lived briefly off of a busy street in a suburb of Detroit, and it was severe culture shock for a girl who had hardly ever lived outside of a small town. You get used to it I guess, but I was glad when we moved back to Ohio and back to the country. I don't miss the city! |
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Jen |
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May 28, 2008 at 2:50pm |
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I think I would like living in a rural area, Pastor Tim, although I'm not much of a country music fan. A friend of mine just commented that the people in the region (here) are not all that friendly. I tend to agree. You have to have patience. I have been friendly to people in my apartment building for instance, but some are quite rude in response. Others are cautious. A few here and there are friendly. I have to focus on those who are open and let go of the rest, not that I don't pray for them. |
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| Wow....my my my...You must be looking into my world. LOL...Had an issue with a neighbor this morning...WOW!! This lady is a busy body and causes a lot of confusion. She is always accusing me and others of not liking her because we never come over to visit. Well, her accusations made me reach my boiling point and I told her that if she would stop hounding folks about visiting and truly show herself friendly maybe she will have visitors. Immediately after saying that, I felt convicted. What this older woman wanted was for someone to show her some love and I fail in that area. I asked her to forgive me and I decided to do better and show the LOVE of Christ in me. I mean truly...How can I say I love Christ and can't show the ones I see and live around love. Great ontime blog.. |
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Jen |
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May 28, 2008 at 4:05pm |
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| Good one, Deb! |
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| I'm agreeing with Jen, "Good one, Deb!" |
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Cyn |
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May 28, 2008 at 7:44pm |
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| I love this blog..great blog.. |
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Cyn |
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May 28, 2008 at 7:49pm |
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I live in a area of condos and here we hear the fights with boyfriends and girlfriends and husbands and wives and I think it is sad..we had a couple that use to fight all the time and he was so abusive to her..hubby and I tried to reach out to her but she didnt want it..he would beat her so bad..she have him arrested and within 2 days he was back..we even called the police ourselves when we would hear her crying for help and trying to get to the door..the police even got tired of coming..they finally moved but we did offer our help to her but she was too scared to take it..gurl we prayed for her safety and him to get help!..that's all we could do..I hope to God they found Jesus! |
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Deb |
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May 29, 2008 at 10:07am |
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Jen, I think it is a sign of the times that we are all a little more cautious with others. You don't know who you can trust and who you can't trust. I am afraid to stop along the road to help a motorist that is having problems just because of fear. I also won't pick up a hitchhiker for the same reason. It is an unfortunate thing that a lot of people in this world can't be trusted, and so we are afraid to extend that "niceness" of loving your neighbor. However, I think that God still calls us to do just that. I certainly need to work on this area.
Carolyn, wow, I am glad that this has touched you...Mike and I were discussing who we were meant to reach with our blogs, since they are on the same subject, and we wrote them at the same time, we thought perhaps God was trying to reach someone in particular...maybe you are the one! lol
Jen and Paul, thank you!
Cyn, wow, that is so sad about that lady and her husband. It goes on way too often. You did reach out and try to help. You can only help the people who want it. I pray that they got the help they needed and found Jesus or will find Him. |
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Deb |
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May 30, 2008 at 12:59pm |
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| Steve, thanks for your comment. Everyone is our neighbor I guess, that is how I think Christ would have us look at it. Even when we don't live next to someone, they are still our neighbor. Good to act like we should, as believers, when we are at home as well as in public. |
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