Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

I came here sort of knowing a couple individuals from other InterVarsity events, but for the most part I'm dedicating six weeks of my life to people who for all I know have also dedicated six weeks of their life to me. But what a delightful group of bright-faced people I am sharing a house with. Plenty of joyous laughter and music has already filled the house, and it's only day two. It is clear and exciting that everyone has unique personalities and gifts that inspire and intrigue me, and it's only day two. We have entered and explored the city, talked to the locals, prayed for the locals, saw some brokenness, experienced some sadness, and happily visited the corner store with two bucks for ice cream, and it's only day two. But six weeks?

"What is the gospel?"
"What is the kingdom?"
"Where did you see God's beauty before you knew Jesus?"
"Where are you from?"
"Are you guys lost? Aren't you with another group of people?"
"Are you one of the new kids?"
"Do you have any questions about conflict?"
"What do you want to do with your art degree?"
"What is justice?"
"Should I confront this?"


Questions our team heard from staff, neighbors, and each other...loaded questions that have our minds well occupied and yet it's only day two. But six weeks?

A man sat with his young son on the front steps of his house eating a sub and chips. We were making our way across the lumpy sidewalk that guided our first exploration into the city. He was very interested in the four of us that were walking through his neighborhood with backpacks and a camera. He inquired us of what we were doing and why we were here, and after about a minute of covering the basics, he told us about the hope of job opportunity that brought him to Lancaster, and the devastation of kidney failure and other health issues that have gotten in the way of his dreams. His eyes were red and he looked tired but he was surrounded by other family and friends, and said that the reason he liked Lancaster was that it was a good place to raise the little ones he loves.

Going down another lumpy path, we passed a young teenage girl playing with her two very young siblings. The smile she gave us was very warm, and the curious eyes of the young boy were wide and staring. But what really got me was the toddler girl sitting very proud and tall on their porch step. She was shy at first, but after we smiled at her and said "hello," she quickly beamed and squealed out a "HEWWO!" and continued laughing as we turned the corner.

There's something odd, awkward, and a little uncomfortable about coming together with a group of people I don't really know, in a place I don't really know, doing who knows exactly what. We have a vague idea that we are on a mission for Jesus, and that's very true. We all know that He will definitely teach us something. But as of now, we don't know what that looks like. But isn't it beautiful, that we have all encountered people that have touched our hearts and we are excited, and it's only day two.

 Part of what fueled my excitement for Sidewalks was the idea that I will be more awesome after it's done. I knew relationships would have to happen and that would be good and stuff and all, but that didn't excite me as much. I mean, I have a close community of friends at home, an awesome boyfriend, and family that loves me..so who else do I really need to be in relationship with? C.S. Lewis talked about this once in his book The Weight of Glory: "It may be possible for each of us to think too much of his own potential glory hereafter; it is hardly possible for him to think too often or too deeply about that of his neighbor...It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you say it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations...Next to Jesus himself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses."

Bret and Betsy are surrounded by lots of neighbors they love and trust, and we are encouraged to get to know them. In the house, we are constantly surrounded by each other. Lots of neighbors. Lots of opportunities to learn how to love them like we love ourselves. And this is only day two. What will happen in 6 weeks?