RISE, A Modern Guide for the Purpose Driven Woman Spring 2014 | Page 53

wiched directly between an active,
thriving church and their property
purchased specifically for parking.
To say it is a recipe for disaster
would be putting it lightly. The
first couple of years I would lose
my mind! Those pesky high
school students dumping their
after school snacks in my yard as
they waited for the bus drove me
mad. Not to mention the constant
stream of people sitting under the
trees of my front yard in order to
enjoy the shade as they waited
for the next round of transportation pick ups. But the worst of
all, were the cars that crept in my
well manicured grass, not knowing that this was my yard, not the
extension of the church’s parking
lot!
What were these peoples’ problems?
But that was just it. They weren’t
the problem. I was. As I realized
that my behavior reflected more
of a nasty old lady rocking on her
front porch than a good neighbor,
I began to reflect on just how I
could start reaching out to those
who I thought caused me great
inconvenience. I haven’t figured
it out by any means yet, but as I
sit in my office, gazing out of the
window that shows directly into

that chaotic world of hustle and
bustle, I see needs, not annoyance
and I hope this article will help
you get there as well.
As I pondered what it takes to be
a good neighbor in our communities, three things came to mind.
A good neighbor is willing to
Give, Do, and Engage. What do I
mean? I’m glad you asked.
The first step to becoming a GN
is to be willing to GIVE. When
we live with our hands open in the
stance of surrender, we realize everything we have is not just meant
for us, but can be given to others
to enjoy. Do you have a swing
set in your backyard that can be
shared with the neighborhood
kids? I challenge you to invite
them over. Offer them a juice box
or snacks. It’s okay, you can always go purchase more. Is there a
guy outside in the sweltering heat
waiting for a ride? Offer him a
cup of water or juice. I guarantee
he will not say no. What about a
young lady with her child walking down the street as it begins to
drizzle? What would it mean to
her if you offered her an umbrella?
It’s okay if it’s your only one. She’ll
never forget that simple act of
kindness. Your home will slowly
start becoming a beacon of light,
not just another structure in a row

ood neighbor
doesn’ t

y, but the rewards of being fully
the effort.

row of houses.
Next, I would challenge you to
DO something. It’s a lot easier
to complain about a need or
improvement than it is to simply
do something. A GN is a part of
her community. She advocates
for speed bumps on a busy street,
picks up trash, plans special
events and is seen. You don’t have
to be on a neighborhood board to
do something. It can be as simple
as cooking a dinner for a member
of the community who is suffering
from an illness, offering to watch
your neighbors dog while their
out of town, or simply picking up
trash. It’s not about what you do,
but simply about you doing something.
And as these things culminate,
you’ll find yourself living in the
third quality of being a GN;
engagement. The ultimate step
to being a good neighbor is being
engaged. Knowing those around
you, their story, living their journey and celebrating their life
changes and promotions. When
you’re engaged with those around
you, not just those who live next
door, a new arena of purpose
opens up and you begin to live a
life you may have never imagined.
So will you step out and be a good
neighbor? Your community is
waiting on you!