Loving Your Neighbor – A little bit of human contact can make all the difference, but where to start?
Here are some ideas… why don’t you try one of the following?
- Make an effort to speak to the neighbors you meet in the street, and ask how they’re doing. If they have a problem and you can’t help them, think about who might be able to.
- Go round and see your neighbors. Perhaps take them a plate of cookies or a card that expresses your gratitude to God for them being your nieghbor.
- If you’re shy, you could put a card on your neighbors’ door. (Don’t forget to include your house number in case they don’t know you.)
- Phone friends who you haven’t spoken to in a while for a chat. Maybe think about those friends who have had an extra tough year. In these days of Facebook etc we don’t talk to each other as much as we used to. A phone call is a much more meaningful and thoughtful action than an online message.
- Have a look (in your local paper or on the Web) and find out what events are going on in your community. This may be an opportunity to get to know some of your neighbors.
- Walk your neighborhood and pray for each home as you go.
- Walk the dog. Look for people to talk to while you walk. Or try to be outside when others normally walk their dogs. Say hi and ask about their dogs and tell them about your dogs or your family.
- Do something kind for your neighbor (even if they don’t notice). Some ideas:
- take up a neighbor’s trash cans after pickup;
- pick up trash in the street or around the neighborhood;
- wash a neighbor’s car windows (ask first);
- give batteries to neighbors to replace in their smoke alarms;
- shovel snow from someone’s driveway or sidewalk;
- let the person behind you in the grocery line go first;
- Offer to return a shopping cart for someone loading a car.
- Do something kind for your coworker. Some ideas:
- treat a coworker to fresh fruit or a coffee;
- fill a coworker’s candy dish;
- take flowers to work and share them;
- take hot chocolate mix and marshmallows to the break room;
- Place a tissue box on a coworker’s desk;
- Buy a coworker coffee, a snack, or lunch unexpectedly
You might be surprised at how people will respond to a little kindness, care and love. Try it!
