The backbone of our church has always been our care and love for our literal neighbors. There has never been a better time to put that into practice than during a pandemic. Of course, we want to maintain healthy distance and precaution as we care; but, there has never been a better moment to check-in on your literal neighbor than right now.
We recommend starting with the people with whom you share a property line or wall. If you think about your house, condo, or apartment, from a birds-eye-view, you might get a better vision for what we’re describing. Consider the people on either side of you, in front of you and behind you, above you and below you. These are your neighbors. Yes, there is a figurative application to Jesus’ command to love our neighbor as ourselves; but, how many times have we looked right past our literal neighbor in search of our figurative neighbor? Now is your chance to remedy that.
Here are some questions you might consider asking them:
1. What has brought you JOY in the last 24 hours?
2. What has brought you CHALLENGE in the last 24 hours?
3. What are you GRATEFUL for right now?
4. If you could CHANGE anything about your life right now, what would it be and why?
5. How can I support you right now? Is there anything you need?
Of course, you can come up with any questions you want. The questions aren’t the point. The connection with your literal neighbors is what this is all about. Try to do this at least once a week with every neighbor and twice a week with neighbors who are more vulnerable to COVID-19.