Do We Have Time to Love our Neighbors?
By Trevin Wax on Sep 4, 2008 in Reaching Romania | 
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Living the slower pace of Romanian village life forced me to wrestle with the question: Do we in the United States have time to love our neighbors?
Surely loving your neighbor is more than just being there for them in case something goes wrong or they need help. Loving your neighbor means you’re ready to get to know them.
To understand their mindset.
To look past their quirks.
To love them through their trials.
To talk to them about the little events of the day and to confide in them in the big events of the day.
God has created us for more than shallow friendships that boil down to activities and entertainment that rob us of our time together. He wants us to go deep in our relationships with others. To spend time with people, for it is time with people that brings change in life.
I fear that many of our churches have chosen shallow waters over deep waters when it comes to Christian fellowship. Church has become a place for one activity on top of another. Game night, choir practice, youth activities, dramas, movie night, etc. Again, these aren’t bad things!
But here’s the important question: Do our churches foster opportunities to better know and love our neighbors? Or could it be that all our good activities actually hinder us from truly knowing and loving people?
© Copyright by Trevin Wax | Print This Post | Share (Twitter, Email, Facebook)
This is a great question – and one our team wrestles with a lot at the church. One of the things we’ve learned (like many churches), is you can’t program community. In the same breathe, however, we’ve noticed you can create space for it. One of the things we did this summer was provide free food after service was over. Families hung out, we had tables set up, music playing and people talked for hours. It was incredible community. Relationships were formed and straightened.
The other thing that we talk about a lot is having our leaders make the common things strategic. Sure you’re just headed to a movie with your small group – but chances are you hang at Starbucks either before or after. What is the group taking about? Does it honor God? Are people challenged and lifted up? It’s great to do regular stuff together. Regardless of what we’re doing, we want to view it as an opportunity.
Great post!
Steven | Sep 4, 2008 | Reply
We often think if only we could get a handle on the Love our Neighbor thing. For me I think we first need to understand that God wants us to Love our Neighbors with the same zeal that He Loves us. That is without reservation, we need to first love God and focus on how God would want us to express that love to the world He has created.
Jim Stilwell | Sep 4, 2008 | Reply
Trevin,
Great Post!!! I think you ask some very timely questions.
-Wes
Wes Ellis | Sep 4, 2008 | Reply
Trevin,
Great question! It prompted some thoughts of my own. So I’ve back-posted at my own blog. I basically extend your thoughts to ask the question, How available do we make ourselves to our neighbors? Do we leave some time and energy in reserve to meet our neighbor as needs arise?
I think pastor especially–and the rest of us–have a moral obligation not to overbook ourselves. It not just a matter of taking care of ourselves, but of loving our neighbor.
James Hilden-Minton | Sep 5, 2008 | Reply