Since we began moving around the country four years ago–after living in one area code for many decades–Mel and I have discovered the true need of a good neighbor. We had wonderful neighbors in Missouri, and I also believe we were good neighbors to them. When you’ve grown up with the people who live around you, it becomes more of a family thing. We knew we could count on our neighbors to help us if we needed them. It was just a thing in the Missouri Ozarks. We were never alone.

You know how you take life for granted when it’s always been that way? In our small Missouri town, we could always count on David to plow the snow from our drive. I could always count on Gary to come over and help me lift my mother when she fell. I was there for Cindy when she needed her insulin needles filled.

It wasn’t until we moved to Nebraska and were sick for the first time that we realized we had moved away from that family of neighbors who took care of one another. But then we met Joy and Lyle at our new church just before I got a nasty flu. Although a stranger, Joy came to see me, fed me, kept in touch, called at just the right time when I needed something. She showed me what a true neighbor was all about. What a blessing from God. You really appreciate it when you’re sick.

But then we moved to this wild place.  We joined a new tiny church. A church is a family  that helps one another, right? They pray for one another. But such a small church cannot be there for everyone all the time. There are too many needs, and in our church, there seem to be a lot who are IN need. So when we get sick here, we always know we have a next-door neighbor who will bring us chicken soup and run to the store and check on us to make sure we’re okay. Sherry doesn’t attend our church, or actually any church right now, and yet her Christian spirit is a blazing light for everyone to see. I missed Sherry this past week when Mel and I once again got hit with influenza and were on our own, too sick to do much, not well enough to get groceries or meds. I gained a new appreciation for Sherry and her generosity when she was away for two months caring for her sick mother.

You know that phrase, “Actions speak louder than words”? It’s easy to claim to be a Christian and say you’ll pray for someone. But when a neighbor is sick, that’s when the prayers become actions. That’s when you have a chance to show your faith through your actions.

James 2:16 says: If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?

Our neighbors Greg and Sherry use actions to bless us. They cared for our home when we were gone, shoveled our snow, cared for our cats. It seems wherever we go, God blesses us with those who are kind and caring. May you also be blessed by people around you who care enough to be your neighbors.