THE QUICK SUMMARY

“I want to love my neighbor, but I don’t know how.”

Most of us feel guilty about Christ’s command to love our neighbor, but let’s be honest–we don’t even know most of the people living around us.

How can we love people we don’t even know? Besides, doesn’t it count as “loving our neighbor” when we send money to missionaries and put out yard signs for our church? Are we supposed to just knock on our neighbors’ doors and tell them about Jesus?

“They’ll think I’m weird.”

How to Love Your Neighbor Without Being Weird helps you overcome fears about getting to know your neighbors and sharing your faith. You’ll learn simple, practical ways to get to know your neighbors, using your God-given personality. As you venture out of the comfort of your living room and into the lives of your neighbors, you’ll form authentic friendships, create a safer community, and find fulfillment in obeying Christ’s #2 command.

Loving your neighbor isn’t a random command; it’s God’s perfect plan.

A SIMPLE SOLUTION

The “neighbors” who live near you most likely comprise a humorous cast of characters: the couple with no kids and a perfect yard; the family of six, whose kids know no personal boundaries; the single dad with a teenage son who works on his truck all hours of the day and night; the couple with the yappy dog.

Oh, and there’s you, too – you are their neighbor!

Even the “perfect” neighborhood is filled with imperfect people, and that includes you.

Yet the second greatest commandment (Matthew 22:39) says to love your neighbor as yourself.

So what do you know about your neighbor?

Do you know as much about your neighbor as you do yourself? Do you know what keeps them awake at night? Do you know their struggles or their joys? Do you know their stories, their history, their dreams for the future? Do you know if they know Jesus? How will you know their hearts’ desires if you don’t even know their names?

Whether you live in a downtown condo or on a country ranch, on a tree-lined lane or a gang-infested street, I know this fact about your neighborhood: Inside every home are people hungry for personal attention, meaningful relationships, and real friendships.

You are surrounded by young singles and new parents, empty-nesters, and elderly widows. Some are executives; others are homemakers. They are sick and well, happy and sad, churched and unchurched.

You might live down the street from some of these ladies:

• Religious Rita: Attends church regularly and never missed a noodle dinner.
• Pagan Patty: Sunbathes on Sunday yet never darkens the church door.
• Faithful Felicity: Prays for the opportunity to meet other women but doesn’t know how
• Unsaved Sue: Doesn’t even know what she doesn’t know.
• Wondering Wendy: Dabbles in the God-thing but has no one to answer her questions.
• Athletic Ann: Finds her self-worth in her workouts.
• Widowed Wilma: Is overwhelmed with solitude.
• Single-Parent Pam: Does double duty as both Mom and Dad.
• Executive Alexis: Brings home the bacon and sometimes manages to fry it up in a pan
• Stay-at-Home-Mom Molly: Wonders if she’ll ever have a conversation that doesn’t involve the potty
• Busybody Betty: Knows the scoop and loves to dish it out.
• Saintly Sally: Has a godly legacy she’s eager to share.

The good news is, the majority of these neighbors are already like you – and if they know your name, they like you even more.

What else do all these neighbors have in common? They all live near you, a Christian who is commanded to love them. What do they all need? To know Jesus Christ. God may be calling you to say, think, or do something today that will impact your neighbors’ lives for eternity. You can create a community of friends – people of all faiths or no faith, from all churches or no church, of all ages, at all stages of life – who draw on each other as they draw near to Christ.

– Amy Lively, How to Love Your Neighbor Without Being Weird

A NEXT STEP

Author Amy Lively has several great “next steps” you can take to know your neighborhood. With the list of “neighbors” above in your mind, consider the following questions:

1. What assumptions have you made about your neighbors? Are these judgements based on personal interaction or casual observation?
2. Do due diligence by learning about your neighbors on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. Then put your devices down and do something in real life. Displace a fraction of the time you spend online with real, live social interaction in the original social network: your neighborhood. How do you feel about meeting your neighbors face to face?
3. Read John 20:11-18. In verse 16, Mary recognizes Jesus when He calls her by name. Recall a time when someone knew your name (or did not know your name) and how it made you feel. Practice using your neighbor’s name in a conversation this week. What happened?

How do the above questions move you to know your neighborhood more? How can you help your people walk through this exercise?