Our country is in a very dark place at the moment. But I have hope, because the answers are all around us. They live around us. For thousands of years wise people have been extolling the virtues of loving your neighbor. Now is the perfect time to get out and do just that.
The word neighbor appears over a hundred times in the Bible. More specifically, the Bible tells us to love our neighbor. A Chinese proverb teaches that a good neighbor is a found treasure. A Welsh proverb says “A little among neighbors is worth more than riches in a wilderness.” Finally and perhaps most notably is the wisdom of Mister Rogers: “All of us, at some time or other, need help. Whether we’re giving or receiving help, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world. That’s one of the things that connects us as neighbors — in our own way, each one of us is a giver and a receiver.”
I was reminded of the value of good neighbors during the recent floods. A part of our property was impacted by flood waters. My husband was working out of town and without hesitation, I called one of my neighbors and asked for help. He immediately came over and offered his assistance. I not only thanked him, I texted and thanked his wife. She responded “Of course. That is what neighbors are for.”
