June2014_Faith and Living
“Love Thy Neighbour”
Last week I had the privilege and honour of conducting the funeral of a neighbour of ours here in Dayboro. I was amazed that nearly all of the neighbours in the nearby streets turned out for the service, such was the love, appreciation and respect that this dear lady and her husband command in the area. What is the value of a good neighbour? It’s beyond price, I reckon.
I often hear of neighbours (not in my area of course) who are constantly locked in mortal combat. It must be terrible to live in that tension-filled atmosphere. Usually the problem is a minor one, not worthy of creating a fuss over. Life is just too short to fill it with senseless squabbles and vindictiveness. If you want to live a healthy and stress-free life, you’ve got to decide to not fret and sweat the small stuff. Actually, it’s even more than that. It’s about setting an attitude that says, “I’m going to be the catalyst and conduit for cheerfulness, co-operation and tolerance in my community, in my neighbourhood.”
To be an influence for good in the community, requires attending to the things that simply make for a happy, nice and pleasant environment. The couple I mentioned above, always wave and smile when a car passes their house. I recall how that made me feel when I first moved to the area. It was incredibly welcoming and it made us feel at home here. It can be about being sensitive to when you mow or use noisy machinery. It can be about driving slowly past horses with riders or when overtaking cyclists. It can be about mowing your neighbour’s curb-side grass without expectation of acknowledgment of it. It can be about taking around a meal for a household doing it tough for any of a multitude of reasons.
All of the above, I’ve seen happening in my own neighbourhood these past few weeks. How do we build strong, happy and safe communities? It’s simply about being a decent person and attending to the little things that make a huge difference.
Gary Levens is pastor of Dayboro Church
