Does This Look Familiar?

I'll admit it. I'm taking this from another blog. Sean and Melissa, I hope you don't mind, but it's too good to not share.

I pray this challenges you as much as it did me. There are many times when I've felt so comfortable that I hardly recognize my relationship with Jesus Christ. The books all look the same, the messages from pastors all sound the same, the church activities all blend together; yet, this journey is exciting, vibrant, and passionate. At least it should be. Sometimes I need to see a visual to remind me.

Community

For the last ten years I've moved nearly every 1-2 years. Even during college I hopped around Philadelphia and lived in a different suburb each academic year, and so it often felt like I had moved to a completely new place each summer. And, yet I can really only remember a few neighbors. There was Arthur the whacky engineer and Marine Reserve officer who taught me how to shine my boots properly. Philippe, a Frenchman on a work visa doing artisan woodworking for a cabinet company, and who kept in touch when he returned to France. He wanted me to understand that he didn't have any anti-American sentiment when the Iraq War started. And the downstairs neighbors whose names I never learned, and are the only neighbors for whom I've called the police. Ahhh, Philadelphia.

Have you wondered why it is that we hesitate to meet our neighbors? While I lived overseas I thought I would meet my neighbors and at the very least would know their names and understand the rhythms of life that determined their comings and goings. School buses, work, family vacations, or pending moves. Yet, two years passed and I knew only one name and never understood any of the rhythms of their life.

The process of learning about community has been a gradual one for me. If I am hesitating to step forward to meet neighbors, then it's likely they are also hesitating or feel too busy to reach out. It's an awkward staring contest of waving over snowy cars before work, a slight nod as you pick up your newspaper, and the occasional, 'Happy Holidays', when you happen to cross paths during the Christmas season. Who will blink first? I'm learning that more and more I need to be willing to blink first and step forward. Slowly my sense of entitlement that convinces me that my neighbors need to reach out to me first is fading. Slowly my heart is being humbled by the Holy Spirit to see through His eyes - my neighbors are mirror images of me. Lost. Sinners. People with hurts, losses, shame, and guilt. Someone once reached out to me to bring me closer to Christ. Can I in-turn pass this along? Will I continue the movement?

Recently we had the privilege and joy of being "stranded" in DC during a blizzard, and had a wonderful and refreshing week with close friends. The depth of community they have worked to cultivate is amazing. It's more than knowing neighbors, but a development of relationships in all generations. Katie knows the baristas at the Caribou Coffee near their home, Jason has been able to pour into a neighbor's teenage sons, and both are growing relationships with neighbors, a difficult thing to do in transient DC. What struck me is their initiative made this possible. Hundreds of customers pass through Caribou daily, but how many ask the baristas about their lives beyond the polite, chatty "coffee" talk? With a growing family and steady work-related travel they could easily hole-up in their townhouse and not interact with anyone, but they've chosen to bring brownies to new neighbors and invite them to share dinner.

Community will enrich our lives in ways unimaginable. The people God has placed in our lives have greater depth than we ever allow ourselves to assume, they have more varied experiences, and have so much to teach us...if we let them. Take a risk this grey, grey February and walk over to the neighbor brushing snow off their car and help them out. See where the conversation leads, it may surprise you.