Out of Practice?

This past weekend I taught about neighbouring in Fairview, Alberta. The vibrant small community listened to a few true stories that help make neighbours and neighbourhoods flourish.  It was not a surprise to me that residents from Fairview had been practicing the art of neighbouring already.  Simple decisions, such as asking for eggs from the neighbours when you run out in the middle of baking, seemed more second nature.  It was a delight to hear that neighbours were part of life's plan.  Loving your neighbour was not an option!  (Practicing hospitality was not an option either - thanks to those who generously hosted us fort the weekend).

On Sunday morning, a youth leader shared some thoughts on the movie, "The Grace Card" (Netflix) which included a scene challenging a police officer to understand his mission to be outside the walls of his church.    This was great to hear since it played nicely into the teaching of neighbouring.  Loving your neighbour is hard to do from within the walls of a church, much the same as trying to harvest from inside the barn.  It is difficult to practice loving your neighbour when we have not practiced it for a very long time.  What Fairview reminded me of this weekend was that practicing  is important.  Many of us are "out of practice"; it is easier to not do it.

And thanks to Thomas, the young man who inspired me by reading Romans 10:14,15 -  "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?  And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?  And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can they preach unless they are sent?  As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

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