WHAT WOULD OUR NEIGHBORS SAY?
Haddon Robinson highlights 3 questions that get to the core of who we are as the church:
Do you love God?
Do you love your neighbors?
Do you mind if I ask them?
If there is one thing that has become even more clear for us over this past year it is that the church is a people, it is not a building. We are neighbors. We are families in homes in every part of this city living next to the very neighbors we are supposed to love.
THE CHURCH IS A PEOPLE, NOT A BUILDING.
This week students and families will be returning to school buildings in the neighborhoods of our churches. Many families find themselves traumatized from the year they have endured. Although some students will be ahead, some will be drastically behind. Some teachers will feel relieved and some afraid, many tired and excited to see their kids.
HAVE WE BEEN GOOD NEIGHBORS?
As we are able to see these faces, out of their houses and together making up a school, we should ask ourselves- Have we been good neighbors? Do we know their names? Have we listened to their stories? Have we asked them how they are? Have we asked them what they need or have we just assumed we know?
As the church, we tend to be good at generosity to some extent. Resourced communities are often willing to write a check or donate food and supplies. But it takes a great deal of time, curiosity, and humility to be a life-giving neighbor. I can’t find an example in the Bible of Jesus giving his things away to those in need from a distance. I only see him get close. I only see him asking questions and spending time knowing people. I see him use his time to look in the eyes of those around him, he knows their names and their stories. He gives them his time.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one that this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” - John 15:12-13
IF YOUR CHURCH WENT AWAY NEXT WEEK WOULD YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CARE? WOULD A LOVING NEIGHBOR BE MISSED?
Shine resources churches with training and opportunities to build authentic, transformative relationships. To be good neighbors so that when asked, a community knows they are known, heard, supported, and loved.
Volunteers have not been allowed in schools this year and will not be allowed, for the most part, for the remainder. We could sit and focus on what we cannot do and let that cripple us to do nothing. Or worse yet, let that be our excuse.
THE TRUTH IS THAT STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND TEACHERS NEED ENCOURAGEMENT, SUPPORT, AND RESOURCES NOW MORE THAN EVER.
Shine is providing training for churches that will resource you to better connect with your neighbors. Shine's family development training gives you tools to develop mutually-transformative relationships with families in your school boundary in a very practical way.\
BEING A NEIGHBOR REQUIRES RELATIONSHIP THAT GOES BEYOND GIVING.
What if loving like Jesus meant spending MORE than money on our schools? What if it meant spending our time with our neighbors and building lasting relationships?
DO YOU LOVE YOUR NEIGHBORS? DO YOU MIND IF I ASK THEM?
