Who is my neighbor?

If you were fortunate enough like I was, you grew up with the simple and profound warmth of Mister Rogers’ neighborhood. Slowly and predictably he would slip into his house shoes and signature button up sweater, look straight into the living rooms across America, and drop truth bombs about knowing your identity, loving your neighbor, showing kindness, exercising patience, and extending forgiveness. I think I’ve been longing for that idyllic neighborhood for decades now, like on Cheers where “everybody knows your name” (speaking of shows I grew up on), where community happens as neighbors get to know each other, work through their humanity together, and grow in love and acceptance for all. Wouldn’t that be nice? Can you even imagine living in a world like that today? Maybe that’s exactly what we need to do….imagine something different, something better, a new future.

Perhaps in order to shape a vision for the future, a good place to start is by remembering the past. Looking back, before the foundations of American politics, capitalistic economics, or even the brokenness of our human experience, there was a community that existed in a harmonious vibe that we can learn from. On the sixth day of creation after God spoke the world into existence, he said, “Let US make mankind in OUR image”. Male and Female, both made in the image of God, the community of God that we refer to as the trinity. This God community was complete with all the “masculine” and “feminine” aspects of humanity all perfectly represented in a complete God, working together to call everything into existence. Nothing became something. Nowhere became somewhere. Nobody became somebody, and that’s where we start with our own identity. God calls you somebody. Our faith is birthed through the words of God, “he who created you….he who formed you….Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine”. While we are all searching for someplace to belong, God says we belong with him, not as his possession but as his beloved. Let that settle into your soul. Before we move on to trying to love our neighbor, build a community, or create a vision for better future, we have to start here, and let all the other plans and vision and goodness flow from this.

The unfortunate reality here is that we never “get it”. If we wait until our faith is perfect, our lives are flawless, and our society is humming along like the trolley in Mister Rogers’ neighborhood before we take action to love our neighbor individually or fight for systemic justice in our communities, it will never happen. So what are we to do? Well, I don’t have the answer for all the complicated issues we face, but I do think there is a litmus test we can apply as we wrestle through them. First, I remember my own identity and humanity. In humility, I look at these issues through a lens of love knowing that God created earth, the creatures, and every human being that inhabits the planet. If I forget that, my perspective will be off. Secondly, as a created being I prioritize the words of the creator to form his perspective in me. Jesus was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” His answer was simple. Love God and love people. If my agenda isn’t based in the love of God and love for people, I’m missing the whole point. I’ve heard it said, “if your faith causes you to hate anyone, you’re doing it wrong”. Is there anyone I’m not loving because I think my faith won’t allow me to love “those” people? If so, it’s time to reevaluate.

So then, from this foundation of our identity in God and our mandate to love our neighbor, now we look around and ask, “So, who is my neighbor?”. Think of the people generally disdained by your circle of influence. Who comes to mind? “Those” people are your neighbors. Where there is a great divide in your beliefs, love becomes the bridge of unity. Love conquers all. All, not some, not most. ALL. So I struggle through the reality that it might not always be comfortable or easy, but our highest call from God is to love, and let that love conquer all hate, division, judgement, and pride.

Therefore, love your neighbor; your evangelical, LGBTQ+, liberal, addict, immigrant, nationalistic, BIPOC, ___________ (fill in the blank) neighbor. I don’t know what that looks like for you personally. Honestly, I’m just trying to figure that out for myself as well. So, we show each other some grace and patience. We recognize that each of us is struggling through our own issues that nobody else can see, and we all need each other. As Mother Teresa said, “We belong to each other”. This is community. This is how we make Mister Rogers’ neighborhood our neighborhood. Here is where we find identity and belonging, love and acceptance. Love God with all your heart, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. Won’t you be my neighbor?