Just Nine Doors Down

Karen

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”

—Mark 12:31

In the two years since we’d moved into our new neighborhood, I’d seen her during my walks. Sometimes she was rolling her trash can out to the curb or watering her flowers. I’d smile and say hi for a brief second. After all, the neighborhood is big; my life is busy. So I’d pop my earbuds back in and keep walking to my house, just nine doors down.

A while back, there were f lashing lights and sirens in my neighborhood. A fire, maybe? I thought. Although the rescue vehicles were parked in front of my nine-doors-down neighbor’s house, no fire appeared to blaze. Must have been a false alarm, I reasoned to myself.

Two days later I heard the awful news. No fire. No smoke. Just a terribly saddened soul.

You see, just nine doors down, something happened in the mind of my nameless, flower-watering fellow human being. Something told her this life wasn’t worth living anymore. And she agreed.

Now her heart no longer beats. I can still walk by her house, lost deeply in the Jesus-music blaring from my phone. Rushing to the next thing on my to-do list for the day.

Nine doors down there will be no more waves, smiles, or thoughts of, I should stop and find out her name. If I’d reached out and befriended her, would she have seen Jesus through our friendship? Would a glimpse of the perfect God in the life of an imperfect me have beckoned her to have a relationship with Him too? Would she have found God’s purpose and peace instead of finding a way to end her emotional pain? Only God knows.

I am a woman who wants to love God, but so often I am too busy to really love the people He puts plainly in my path. God calls us to love our neighbor. But to do that, we first need to notice them and get to know them. Even though our schedules are full, we can pause, permitting God to tap us on the heart, gently interrupt us, and rearrange our day. When God knocks on our hearts, we can knock on their doors. Then once we’ve reached out, we leave the outcome to Him.

May we all respond to those taps on our hearts today and not ignore them. God just may use us as He saves a life. It might not even be much of a walk . . . even just nine doors down.

Dear Lord, I want to be aware of the times You tap my heart, asking me to reach out to someone. May I pay attention and respond so he or she might know You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Is there someone in your path whom you feel God may be calling you to reach out to but you’ve been too busy to respond to His nudge? Who is it, and how will you show kindness to him or her this week?