Loving Our Neighbors Through National Night Out

We’ve all heard it before: Love your neighbor as yourself. That directive is repeated in Matthew, Mark and Luke.

But do you even know your neighbors, much less love them? Who are your neighbors and how is God calling you to love them?

We believe neighbors go far beyond our street or even our neighborhood, but for this post we’ll consider our neighbors as those who live near our home.

Take a look at the four houses surrounding your home. When was the last time you stopped and had a conversation with those neighbors? Yesterday? This week? This month? This summer?

It is through loving others that we love God. When we learn our neighbor’s names, what weighs on their heart and what they are celebrating, we can rejoice and mourn alongside them. God has given us community right around our very own home.

And yet we live in such a fast-pace society that we can often lose our sense of community and neglect to reach out to those who live closest to us.

Next Tuesday, August 2, is National Night Out. The purpose of National Night Out is to increase awareness for the prevention of crime and drug prevention and to strengthen the spirit and unity of neighborhoods. National Night Out was started in 1984 and last year 15,000 communities and all 50 states participated.

Does your neighborhood have a National Night Out event? If so, we encourage you to participate! Help organize activities at the event, offer to promote it to your neighbors or assist in whatever way is most needed. By being part of the event, you can get to know your neighbors in a new way.

Many of us find ourselves thinking we should invite the neighbors over for a BBQ or host an event for the local neighborhood kids at our house. National Night Out presents the ideal opportunity.

If your neighborhood has not participated in National Night Out in the past, let this year be the first. Create a simple flyer or poster and invite your neighbors over to your home. Most events take place in a yard or a blocked off street or alley, so you don’t even need to worry about getting your home ready for guests.

Offer to provide the meat to grill and accept donations to help off-set the cost. Invite your neighbors to bring side dishes. Consider some of these other ideas to make your night a success: invite local police and fire departments, hold fun contests, or offer activities for the youth such as a water balloon toss, face painting, or kiddie parade.

It’s hard to believe that something as simple as a BBQ can start you on the road to loving your neighbor. But the first step is to get to know them and hot dogs, watermelon and a warm summer night is an easy way to begin.