Date: 03-18-2021

Title: Being Neighborly

(S) cripture:
    Deuteronomy 22:1-3 (NLT2) “If you see your neighbor’s ox or sheep or goat wandering away, don’t ignore your responsibility. Take it back to its owner. 2 If its owner does not live nearby or you don’t know who the owner is, take it to your place and keep it until the owner comes looking for it. Then you must return it. 3 Do the same if you find your neighbor’s donkey, clothing, or anything else your neighbor loses. Don’t ignore your responsibility.

(O) bservation:
    The people of God have a responsibility to be neighborly. We are to help when needed even if we are inconvenienced. We are to take care of our neighbors.

(A) pplication:
    In our culture many do not know their neighbors and so we live isolated from the people around us. I am fortunate to live with good neighbors around me. When we were moving into our house our neighbor had the man who mowed his lawn mow ours too and paid him for it. He was watching out for me. When we moved back from Michigan, I brought my snowblower with me. Now when it snows enough to be shoveled, I get the snowblower out and do my driveway and the driveways of the neighbors on either side. This kind of watching out for each other has built friendships I did not expect. Being neighborly takes on a whole new meaning when I see it as a responsibility given to be by the Lord. I want to continue to be a good neighbor and look forward to meeting the folks that will move in next door when that house is sold.

(P) rayer:
    Father, thank you for my neighbors and the friendships we have. Give me the grace and strength to be a good neighbor and to honor you in the days ahead.