Robert Is My Neighbor
Instead of paying $95 a month to park in the lot next to my building, I play the parking game every day. There are 12 free spots on Talbot Street (the alley behind my building), and I try to get one of those when I come home from work. It’s always a game and gamble. If I don’t get one, then I put coins in the meter out front of my apartment, if there are any spots open there. I then later come down and check to see if any spots in the alley have opened up. If so, I move my car to “free parking.” If not, I put more coins in the meter and come down again later.
In one of the spots in the alley, there is often a car with a man living in it. I would get upset seeing his car there, because he was taking one of the free spots, and I would have to play the parking game!
This year the Indiana Kentucky Synod Assembly revolved around the theme “Who Is My Neighbor?” That phrase was repeated so, so many times. I know my neighbors and the concept of neighbor. There are the 11 other apartments in my unit and they contain my neighbors. There are the people in my downtown community, in my congregation, and in my town of Brownsburg. There are family and friends. Then there is the wider community of Indiana, the United States, and the whole world. So, I had a pretty good handle on this neighbor concept
Being an introvert and a movie lover, while at the Synod Assembly I opted to watch a documentary called “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” with Fred Rogers of “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” fame. This was preferable to dealing with speakers and their small breakout groups during Synod Assembly workshop time. To my surprise, I really liked this film and was very impressed. I came home to tell my neighbor and friend Bob about it. His daughter had given him that very same documentary for his birthday. So, we watched it together. So many wise points were made in the film. Check it out!
After the assembly, and seeing the documentary, it hit me that this man living in his car was my neighbor. He was my true neighbor. So I introduced myself to him. His name is Robert. We began a conversation. I’ve always believed that a relationship begins the moment you make eye contact with someone. Where it goes from there is up to you both. Robert is great at making eye contact. He says good morning to me and wishes me a good day as I arrive at my car before work. He greets me when I come home and asks how my day was. I respond in kind.
Robert never ever has asked for anything; but I ask him if he would like dinner, a cold drink, or anything else. Often he replies with a “no thank you”. However, we are making progress in this relationship. He has agreed to let me take him something cold to drink, and last night he allowed me to bring him a hot supper when I told him I was going upstairs to cook. He brightens my day by greeting me, by his great smile, and by allowing me to do little things for him. He truly is my neighbor, and I am grateful for his presence in that parking spot……………now!
So who is your neighbor? Meditate on the story of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10. The beginning goes like this: “On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher’, he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus replied 'What is written in the Law?’ The man answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself.' 'You have answered correctly’, Jesus replied. 'Do this and you will live.’ But the man wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?'” The rest of the story, as they say, is in your Bible.
May you see who your neighbors truly are, serve them, and follow in Jesus footsteps as your neighbors serve you with a smile and warm greetings along your way.
