Being a good neighbor is a deep statement.  On the surface, it is easy to wave from afar, but it is much more complicated to love your neighbor as yourself.  It warms my heart when I see someone moving out of their comfort zone with compassion.  In this context, the word neighbor includes everyone, every day.  

Being nice should be easy, right?  It becomes a challenge when things don’t go as planned.  Stress starts to take over and life becomes chaotic.  Being a good neighbor becomes more difficult because we are not at peace.  Because we don’t have what we want.

It took some time for me to understand how peaceful and amazing life is when you give control to Jesus.  I had to teach myself to let go of the things that I thought were right and follow my intended path. 

I also had to train myself to react with compassion at all times.  When I feel stress or anger I immediately focus on prayer and change my thoughts and actions to love.  Being a good neighbor starts with coming from a perspective of love, eliminating any judgmental thoughts, and asking for forgiveness.

We are uniquely different, yet we are all equal in the eyes of Jesus.  This alone quickly puts everything into place for me.  Love and serve your neighbor as yourself.  

It is only Jesus that knows what is going on within each of us.  He knows everything.  We simply know what we see and hear.  When we judge others we are doing so without a complete understanding.  

Being a good neighbor requires us to be open to forgiving all that is hurtful or sinful.  We don’t always see our sins, but often see the sins of others.  

I work at transforming any judgmental thought into prayer and forgiveness.  And, I am intentional about maintaining a perspective of love, compassion, and kindness.  

Striving to love others more than I love myself, striving to be a good neighbor.  

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