Much like the saying that you cannot pick your family is mostly true, you cannot necessarily choose your Neighbors.  Let’s face it. There are great Neighbors and there are challenging Neighbors, but that is the way neighborhoods work. They are a microcosm of American society. Look at some of the challenges in my neighborhood.

The worst-case scenarios about Neighbor conflicts are documented in the TV series, Fear Thy Neighbor. Take a look at this unsettling episode that occurred in Lenoir, NC.

The good thing is the Facebook conflicts have not escalated into a situation worthy of a Fear Thy Neighbor episode. Thankfully, I live in a neighborhood with good community relations despite the occasional complaints on the community Facebook page.

But what is there to stop such a horrendous event from happening in our mostly peaceful neighborhoods; especially if we do not know our Neighbors?

One step is getting to know our Neighbors. 

My community is a fairly new community built in 2020 and continues to grow, but some Neighbors open their homes to play games. Sports are hugely popular in South Carolina. Clemson Tigers and USC Gamecock fans get together to cheer on their team in a Neighbor’s home. We have a community liaison, who invites food trucks every week to set up by the pool where Neighbors can enjoy different cuisines.

It’s a good start.

But we can use our creativity to find ways to be more directly involved in our Neighbor’s lives without being nosey. Community prayer boxes are a way to become directly involved. People often ask for prayer during times of need, and a prayer box provides an opportunity for Christians to pray for the needs of their Neighbors.

This can be an effective tool allowing opportunities to know and love our Neighbors. It is also another way to share available resources from nearby churches.

• Get the word out about the prayer box on your community’s social media pages and create one specific for the prayer box. Allow people to share their experiences.

• Include space for contact information should someone want to meet or allow follow-up about the prayer requests.

• Remember, keep all prayer requests private.

We can be Neighbors Helping Neighbors one prayer at a time.

You are the light of the world....let your light shine before [your Neighbors]...

“You are the light of the world. A city located on top of a hill cannot be hidden, nor do they light a lamp and place it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it shines on all those in the house. In the same way let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”  [Matthew 4.14-16]