Feeding Your Neighbor

The letter of 1 John has a lot to say about love. If God is love (4:16), it makes sense that His children would love Him and each other (4:19). Love is part of the believers’ new DNA as they live out of the new heart given at the new birth.

Of course, it’s one thing to love fellow believers. It’s another to love those who may not be in the family of God. They think differently, live differently, and may not understand you. God has sovereignly placed you in your neighborhood around people who need His love. You are the means He has chosen to make His love known.

Would you go the extra mile to bless someone in your neighborhood this year during the Thanksgiving season? Here are a few suggestions:

• Bake cookies, a cake or pie to give away

• Invite a neighbor to a meal, maybe even Thanksgiving meal

• Take over a home-cooked meal

• Give a voucher or gift card for a meal

• Help with the leaves

You can express your faith by including a note. You can share a Bible verse and an encouraging word with any item you pass along to someone. A few examples include, Psalm 23; John 3:16; Philippians 1:9; Colossians 1:3; 1 John 3:1.

I would also encourage you to pray for your neighbors by name. Get to know them and ask if they have anything you can pray about for them. Some draw maps of their street and put the names of neighbors on the map as a reminder to pray regularly.

Lawndale is a generous group of people. Over the years, you have given away food for thousands of people, especially at Thanksgiving. Due to your generosity, we have enough funds available for our “Drive-through Feeding of the 5,000” this year. So, we are asking you to take what you would’ve given for this event and use it to feed and bless a neighbor.

As you get to know your neighbors, spend time with them, and pray for them, be sure to invite them to Lawndale where they can meet other followers of Christ. I hear it often that our guests feel welcomed by members. I really believe when people attend, they will receive a warm welcome, hear the Word of God preached, and experience an intergenerational worship service.

Making disciples isn’t complicated. It might just start with feeding your neighbor a homemade chocolate cake!