“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly” (Proverbs 18:24). Our family has lived in the town we live in since 1992 – twenty-eight years. From the time we moved here with our four children, we have always tried to be friendly. Slowly we have seen some of our neighbors wave back to us or stop to talk. Our heart’s desire was, and is, to be a witness to our neighbors as well as to others who do not live right next to us (Acts 1:8). Jim has mowed the grass for some of our neighbors who were struggling. We shovel snow in the winter to help our older neighbors. I make peanut butter pies and take them to people who move into our neighborhood as a welcome to them. Why do we do these things? We want to be friendly and to be a good witness for the Lord.
During this time of COVID-19, we have tried something new. We made a sign and strapped it to one of our trees that is on the corner of our property. We wrote, “If you would like us to pray for you, call or text us at _.” Since the restrictions with COVID-19, there are now many people walking, running, and biking in our neighborhood. We wanted them to see the sign. Guess what? One day we received a call from a lady name Lori, who lives in our neighborhood. She had read the sign and wanted us to pray for her. Then one evening while I was working in our flower beds, a lady stopped and called me by my name. Yes! It was Lori! We talked awhile, and I asked if she knew for sure that she would go to Heaven if she died. She quickly answered, “Yes!” Since this first meeting, I now see her at least once a week and walk with her around the block. Our heart’s desire is to be friendly to others so we can show them the love of Jesus (the best Friend ever). Look for ways to show kindness and be friendly and see what God will do with your life. Be a witness for God, even during COVID-19. “Love worketh no ill to its neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Romans 13:10-11). The Gospel can go where we cannot go. It can do what we cannot do.
