About a year ago we introduced the concept of Christian Neighboring to the congregation I serve. It was a lot of fun, and we were able to make impact in people’s lives as a result. The goal of Christian Neighboring is not to add numbers to the local church. As a matter of fact we don’t really talk all that much about church attendance or membership. The focus is on Jesus and knowing him.
Over the past year or so we’ve tried many different things to reach people who are not in a relationship with Jesus and introduce them to the wonders of the bible. There still seems to be one question that continuously pops up when we discuss this – How can I bless my neighbor?
The answer to this question is probably a lot easier than we might think. As churchgoing folk, we try to make things way more difficult than they have to be. We add programs. Hire staff. Beef up the budget. Hold training sessions. Teach classes. But then when it comes to mobilization, we freeze. Perhaps it’s because we don’t think we know enough. Perhaps it’s due to a lack of understanding. But the real reason that I think we stop just shy of applying what we know is that we’ve made things too hard.
What if there was an easy way to have an impact on someone’s life? What if you could just live your life, not have to go out of your way, not do anything special and still have that same effect on the lives of those with whom you interact on a daily basis?
This is where the word BLESS comes into play. I believe that nestled in the letters of this word is the key to having an impact where we live, work, and play. And it’s way easier than we have imagined!
B reminds us to Be In Prayer. It may sound a little trite to those who don’t emphasize prayer, but this is a significant tool in the toolbox that God has given us. We’re invited to ask, seek, and knock. The bible tells us that prayer is the way we lay our burdens and pleas before God. The bible also reminds us that God is in the business of answering prayers of people who believe that he’ll actually answer them.
L is probably one of the harder words for people in our culture today. It stands for listen. This is difficult because it involves being quiet and silence is often a little uncomfortable. The hardest part about prayer is the waiting that will often follow it. Prayer is not a vending or slot machine. You don’t insert your request and get an immediate prize. Prayer is a conversation that we have with God. As you make your request to God for those around you, be ready to wait for his answer. In order to listen we’ll have to shut out mouths and allow the sounds of his answer to penetrate our ears.
E is likely the most fun of all of these. It reminds us to eat! No it’s not a reminder that you need food to sustain your body. It’s the reminder that food is a great ice breaker. Food is a great way to start conversations. Have lunch. Invite them over for a barbecue. Remember this is about a relationship! It’s not a mission to drag them kicking and screaming to church. Eat with them and let the conversation form and the relationship build.
S is about sharing. Inevitably you’ll find something in common with the people in the places where you live, work, and play. Maybe you both have children in the same class or sports league. Do you both golf? Share the same hair dresser or barber? You both into fitness? Play cards? Like to run? Love landscaping? Hiking? There are numerous ways that we can share life with people. The key here is to not make it too difficult. My neighbor is a gun enthusiast. We’ll likely be hitting the range before too long. It’s about finding common ground so that stories can be shared.
S is the story we’re given to tell. I’m a firm believer that the bible is a long story of God’s relentless pursuit of his wayward people. He’s about the business of redeeming and restoring them from the troubles into which they’ve wandered. There will come a time when the story of Jesus’ love just fits the conversation. Listening to their story. Remembering God’s story. Sharing life together. Praying for open doors. These will all allow you to be better prepared for when that moment comes. And when it does walk through confidently but gently. You’re there to show how God’s story has already been playing out in their lives.
When we seek the opportunities around us to bless those in our circle of life, we sense the power of God at work all around us. We’ll have the opportunity to live out those things we know to be true. Christian Neighboring is about blessing people where we live, work and play with the amazing love of a God who has been writing his story in our lives all along. You task is to just help people see what he’s already been doing. Go ahead – bless someone today!
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