October 30 | Everyday Spirituality Part 11: Walking the Dog
Group Guide
Sermon Recap (5 min)
When it comes to our relationships with our neighbors, the Bible calls us to (1) respect their existence, (2) be actively helpful, and (3) be protective of them and their stuff.
But what prevents us? What prevents us from loving our actual neighbors? Perhaps it’s because we don’t know them. At least not enough to be helpful or protective.
What keeps us from knowing our neighbors? Time and Fear.
Time: We’re busy, and busy people can’t be good neighbors. Knowing and loving our neighbors requires us to live at a certain pace; it requires us to have margin in our lives.
Fear: Most of us carry some level of anxiety about the idea that we are living among strangers. And this fear traps us in a cycle:
We are afraid, so we become more protective. The more protective we become, the less we know our neighbors. The less we know our neighbors, the stranger they seem and the more afraid we are, and so on.
But the cycle can be reversed! If we get to know our neighbors, trust will grow which will, in turn, make our actual living situation more safe.
Getting to know our neighbors can counter our fears, make our neighborhood safer, and can also be a way to invite them to care for us. Of course, not all neighbors will accept the invitation, care for us, or, honestly, be good neighbors. But because of the Gospel, because “the word became flesh and moved into the neighborhood” (John 1:14 MSG), we can still be good neighbors even to those who are not good to us.
Good News: In Jesus, God poured himself out for the world’s worst neighbors. And as we walk the dog, God walks with us, fills us, and leads us in love.
Discussion (15 min)
Question 1: Imagine yourself with the time it would take to be a great neighbor. What are the things you would have to sacrifice to make that a reality? Would it be worth it? What could change in your life or in your neighborhood if you did?
Question 2: What do you think are the main reasons people are often afraid of their neighbors? Do you have any fears or concerns about the people in your neighborhood? How would it be different if you knew their story?
Block Map Exercise (15 min)
For this exercise, print and use the image here, or just pull out your phone and make a list 1 through 8.
from artofneighboring.com
List out the names of the adults and children of the 8 closest houses or apartment units next to you. If you don’t know one of the 8 closest neighbors, leave that space blank or put a short description (“the tall guy with the dog”). Pay attention to those blank spaces.
Next, take a second and identify each of the neighbors and decide if they are a stranger to you, an acquaintance, or if you have a relationship with them.
Reflect: Go around and share how many neighbors you know by name, a little bit about them, and any reflections you have on this exercise.
Prayer (15 min)
Identify one neighbor that you feel led to pray for over the next week. Take time to pray in the group for the neighbors that were mentioned.
Practice for the Week (10 min)
What is one small “next step” that you feel God is leading you to take in the next 7 days? Learn a specific neighbor's name? Invite a neighbor over for dinner? Commit to praying for them every day? Go around and share that next step.
*This week’s guide is based on resources found at artofneighboring.com
