Practical Ways To Connect With A Neighbor You Don’t Know Well
By Ashley Shannon
“Your rain gear is colorful! Where did you get it?” an older gentleman yelled from his doorway.
My kids and I turned to answer. I watched as the man cupped his ear, straining to hear my words. After my response, he smiled, waved, and shuffled back into his house.
We continued our walk in search of mud puddles, but later that afternoon, I pulled out some stationery. We had lived in this new community for only a couple of weeks, and this was our first interaction with a neighbor. It was clear the older gentleman hadn’t heard me well, so I wrote a quick message of introduction, answered his initial question, and asked him about the colorful art on his porch.
The following day, when we walked by his house, I dropped off the note.
To my surprise, a couple of hours later, I found a long letter from our neighbor. As we exchanged correspondence back and forth, Mr. Ed became our first friend in our new community.
Can I love my neighbors if I don’t know them?
According to Jesus, everything in life hinges upon two commandments: “Love the Lord your God,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37–39). As I’ve moved from place to place, my convicting thought has been, Can I love my neighbors if I don’t know them? It’s easy for homes to become a landing strip—a place where we come and go in preparation for the other ministries and activities in our lives. But what if God has placed us in our particular neighborhoods to reach our specific neighbors? Are we taking advantage of our proximity to share God’s love?
My family has lived in six different cities in the last twelve years. Very rarely has there been a welcoming committee waiting to greet us. I consider myself a get-to-know-my-neighbors professional. Through brave smiles and introductions, I’ve met and loved people in every community we’ve lived—from apartments to subdivisions. Getting to know neighbors is an opportunity to fulfill the Great Commission (see Matthew 28:19–20) and share God’s love, but often, I am the one who feels blessed by our interactions.
Not sure how to get to know your neighbors? Here are six tools we’ve used to get to know ours:
- Hang out in the front yard to meet people passing by.
- Walk the neighborhood looking for others who are out.
- Wave. Be friendly. Start a conversation.
- Invite neighbors over for a cookout.
- Send a card with your contact information.
- Pray for your neighbors. Ask God to show you the right opportunities to be a blessing to those in your community.
Even small, simple actions can make a difference in befriending neighbors. Get creative. Make the first move. There may be a Mr. Ed in your neighborhood just waiting for you to knock on his front door.
Ashley Shannon lives in the Midwest with her hubby and two kids. @ashley_c_shannon
Scripture quotations are from the New International Version of the Bible.