My Next Door Neighbors

It began at 10:55 p.m. and was still going at 11:10 p.m. Oh, not a wild party! It would have gone on much longer if that were the case. It was a car stopped outside my bedroom window–one of those cute, sporty cars with a muffler (or lack thereof) that was designed to draw attention. It drew mine!

I had just barely dropped off to sleep when the driver pulled into the parking place outside my bedroom window. Usually, he will let the car run for a minute while listening to the tail end of a song or doing a systems check on the dashboard. However, this time, no such luck! The driver got out of the car, left the car running, and went inside. I’m sure he lost track of time…I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately, 15 minutes later, the car was still running. It became increasingly obvious to me that sleep was not going to return until that car was turned off!

I fumed! I plotted! I ranted and raved in my mind! I determined that I would be at the apartment manager’s office when it opened at 9 a.m. and would lodge a complaint! I would take down the license plate number and turn him in!

At the peak of my internal tirade, I heard a soft voice whisper in my ear, “Pray for him and the others.”

WHAT?!?

Quietly, the words came again, “Pray for him and the others.”

Clenching my fists, I began to bring my neighbor to God’s attention!

“God, please make him turn off his car!”

This time the quiet voice reminded me of Jesus’ words to the teacher of the law who inquired of Christ,  “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” (Mark 12:28 NIV) Jesus’ response?

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31 NIV)

I felt my anger turn to shame and from shame to repentance as I began to speak to my Father about the next door neighbors on both sides of me–neighbors who had played their music so loud I could feel the floor vibrate. Neighbors who continued to smoke right outside my apartment door. Neighbors whose children had repeatedly tromped on the small flower bed beside my patio and littered the area with trash. Neighbors who had hurled insults and foul names at an adult piano student who had come to my home for her lesson.

“Father, my neighbors need You! How can I help them see You? Please bring laborers into the fields of their lives who will work the soil, plant seed, weed and water. And, Father, if You want me to be one of those laborers, I will go! Show me what to do, what to say, and when.”

Now, I’m no saint when it comes to things like this. I have a quick tongue and a fiery temper. Besides, I can be a downright cranky old lady at times! Nevertheless, I do sincerely ask God daily to please make me more like Him! I am human, and my flesh is weak. He knows me well, and has been talking to me in the last couple of weeks about these very things. On June 20 in Our Daily Bread, Marvin Williams said, “Our love for Christ is only as real as our love for our neighbor.” OUCH!

Will this be an easy spiritual battle for me? Most likely not, but I am determined that with God’s help I will show Christ to those who live around me. After all, I may be the only Bible they will ever read!