Watching the Netflix series ‘Call the Midwife’, reminded me of how far removed our current neighbourhoods and communities are from what they once were.
Neighbourhoods, were once a tightly knit community where strong relationships were forged during happy times as well as during times of despair and heartbreak. Neighbours knew each other’s names, kids played with other kids in the street, Mum’s looked after each others babies and mentored other younger Mums … all the while growing, sharing, laughing, loving as well as bearing each other’s burdens.
How can we share the gospel, help or get to know our neighbours when we only catch a glimpse of them leaving their homes and arriving back at their homes – we drive into our enclosed garages, shutting the electronic door behind us as swiftly as we possibly can, closing out the neighbourhood and closing in our own lives.
The Word calls us to ‘love our neighbour’, but how can we ‘love’ when we don’t know them – we are so ‘busy’ with our lives that finding time for others around us just doesn’t exist – we have squeezed neighbourliness out with our ‘busyness’.
Why should we know or ‘love’ our neighbours you may ask? As Christians we are exhorted to share the gospel, show our faith through deeds of caring, kindness and love – I could go on, but just these few reasons will suffice for now.
Here are some practical ways to get to know your neighbours:
- Use occasions such as Christmas and Easter to open your home – invite your neighbours around for afternoon tea and cake.
- If having people who you don’t know in your home is too scary at first, take around packets of home-made biscuits or cakes and introduce yourself to them.
- Start a neighbourhood Book Club – you can introduce Christian based books which won’t scare people off.
- Provide a “Welcome to the Neighbourhood/block/area” to new people moving into the area – introduce yourself and offer your assistance if need be.
- Let your children play outside in the garden, sit with them – this may encourage other Mum’s to come out and chat.
- Throw a “Get to Know the Neighbourhood” BBQ in the street – everyone can bring and BBQ.
- Drop little letters into their post boxes – include your name and street number, for example: ” I noticed the new flowers you have planted, can we meet for a cup of tea, I would love to know where you got them?”, “Your daughter, and my daughter Jill attend the same ballet class together, can we catch up and have a cup of tea whilst they are at their lesson?”.
- If you have a swimming pool in your back garden – invite other kids to come over for a pool party.
- Start a Gardening Club – have a garden party and invite neighbours to bring cuttings and swap plants.
- Invite others to ‘beautify’ or clean up your streets.
Let us pray for our neighbourhood, let us pray that we may forge strong, lasting relationships with them and in so doing introduce Christ to them and theirs.
I love Joab’s encouraging words when going into battle:
“Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and cities of our God. The LORD will do what is good in his sight.” (1 Chron. 19:13)
Let us fight in PRAYER for our communities … let us be brave, and strong and step out of our comfort zone to share our lives with those around us … and in doing so, sharing Christ with them.
Anchored 