Walking with the Wise #507: Like A Good Neighbor

“Never abandon a friend—
either yours or your father’s.
When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance.
It’s better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away.”
—Proverbs 27:10 (NLT)

One of the best advertisements on TV today is for the State Farm Insurance Company: “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.” The truth is that if we follow the Bible’s instruction, we will be good neighbors. Christ commanded that we love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40). Being a good neighbor has the benefit and blessing of having them be there for you whenever tragedy strikes, which is the point of today’s proverb. Don’t abandon your neighbors, either yours or those whom you’ve known for years, because you might need them one day when difficulty inevitably strikes. A close neighbor that can help in a moment is better than a brother who lives far away—so cultivate relationships with those close to you.

As Jesus’ followers, there are multiple reasons to be good neighbors—because it may mean help in our time of need, because our doing so is being obedient to Christ’s command, and thirdly because it will show others Christ. So then, let us be neighbors in word and deed, for like a good neighbor, Christ-followers are there. Amen.