Are you a good neighbor?

By Todd Barrier  

In our lives we are constantly around others. We live next to others, we walk next to others, we eat next to others – you get the idea.  

A prominent insurance agency has a song that says they are like a good neighbor: They are always there.  

The Bible tells us to love our neighbors. I believe it means all the people we are around – not just those who are next door to us.  

So, what actions can we take to be good neighbors?  

If we are always around others, we should be striving to be good neighbors the majority of our time. Over the next few weeks, we will examine how to be a good neighbor.  

This week, let’s look at some biblical evidence for identifying our neighbors. I said I believe a neighbor is anyone – so am I right? Who is my neighbor?  

In Luke 10:29, when Jesus told an inquiring lawyer to love his neighbor as himself, he asked that exact question.  

Jesus followed with the story of the Good Samaritan. In Luke 10:30-37, Jesus tells the story we have all heard before: A man was beaten and robbed and left for dead. A priest and a Levite walked by without helping, but one of the Jews’ enemies, a Samaritan, helped. He went above and beyond.  

Then Jesus asked the lawyer, who do you think was his neighbor? Of course, the lawyer answered, “The one who helped him.”  

This showed them, and us, that anyone could be our neighbor – even an enemy. A good neighbor doesn’t ignore someone in need.  

So, who is my neighbor? Anyone can be our neighbor!  

We will continue to study how we can be good neighbors over the next few weeks. Are you a good neighbor?