Love Your Neighbour
There’s a guy that lives across the road from us who is always out in the street chatting to people. He’s a really friendly man in his late 50’s and you always hear his booming voice at some point in the day as he hollers a greeting to someone. Over the past few months we’ve had various conversations; he’s had a hip replacement and is wearing the new one in, his son’s just having his first baby, his mother-in-law who lives next door expects him for dinner every Tuesday, etc.
Yesterday morning when there was thick frost on the car, he caught me heading out the door with my guitar and shouted across the street, “Where you off to this time of the morning then?”
I laughed and explained I was going to the church to play in the band for the kid’s club. “Which one’s that then?” he responded, referring to the church.
A little surprised that he hadn’t backed away in disgust, I told him about Arun Community Church.
“Oh that one!” he said with fond recognition in his voice, “Nice people, but they were always after me money! What was it now… 10 per cent? I don’t know, with 2 kids and a mortgage I couldn’t afford to give my money to them.”
I was a little lost for words at that point, so got into the car and started the engine. He just carried on regardless: “You know, I think what makes you a Christian is helping people. It’s not about going to church, but you should look after others right?”
And you know what? I found myself agreeing with him!
Now I’m not just going to base my theology on common opinion, and I’m aware there is more to the Gospel than ‘being nice’, but as he was speaking I saw something of Jesus in his actions. The engaging with people, starting conversations, looking out for others. In fact, he embodies Jesus’ second commandment in Matthew 22:39 “Love your neighbour as yourself” far more than I do!
As I made my excuses and prepared to drive off, he reached over and scraped the remaining ice off my windscreen before wishing me a good day. I’ve certainly got a lot to learn.
