I live in what is seriously the BEST neighborhood in the whole, wide world. Seriously. THE BEST!  I’m surrounded by some of the nicest people on an old block of houses built in the 1920’s.

Artie and Nancy on my left are so easy to love

Diane on my right is a sweetheart.

Bill and Rita on the corner along with Sharon and Mark across the street are always there with a wave and a smile.

Diane likes to host little neighbor get-togethers at her house.

 When we moved in, Nancy made us dinner, and Sharon brought us cookies.

I have any kind of Gathered & Sown event, Sharon and Rita are among the first to show up and support me.

You can choose your house, but you can’t choose your neighbors…and God gifted my husband and I with some wonderful ones!!

But when the Bible refers to neighbors, I don’t think God is only talking about the people who live next door to us. 

He’s talking about the people you work with, the people you see when you are out for a walk. Your friends, your family, the people you go to church with. The cashier at your favorite grocery store. Basically anyone who God has placed in your life. Because no matter how small a role you may play in that persons world, God placed you next to each other for a reason. 

Matthew 19:19 tells us to “love our neighbor as we love ourselves. And just like we don’t always like ourselves, we may not always like the people God has placed in our lives.”

But who knows? Maybe God put you in that crabby persons life to give them a reason to smile

Or, maybe..just maybe… YOU are the person who is sometimes hard to like. Gulp!

And that happy and chipper person who drives you nuts? Yep…I bet she’s there for a reason.

So don’t dismiss the people who test you too quickly. God is at work there, even when it’s hard to handle at times! 

(Can I just clarify for a second, I am NOT talking about people who abuse you. If you are being harmed in any way please seek help and get yourself out of that situation!)

My challenge to you this week is to realize who your neighbors are and love on them in a small way.

• Maybe you can write an anonymous note or bouquet of flowers.
• Maybe send a card or compliment someone who feels invisible. Just see how you can show the love of God to someone who needs to see it.
• Comment below and tell me what you did to love someone this week in a small way ♥️