Teaching Kids KindnessSample

 Day 3: Kind to Our Neighbors 

My husband and I are admittedly inept homeowners. We’re the ones who had to use fire extinguishers on two different grills after they each started on fire, the ones who had sparks shooting from the microwave when we turned it on with nothing inside it. Yep, we’re those people.

Thank goodness we moved into a “nice” neighborhood. Oh, I don’t mean that the houses are pretty or the lawns well-kept, although that is true. I mean that we have incredibly kind neighbors. They’re the folks we call when my husband gets locked in our basement while I’m at the movie theater and not responding to his frantic messages. They also graciously tolerate our daughters talking to them incessantly while they work in their gardens and dash outside to fish my children out of a snowbank when their boots are stuck.

Our previous neighborhood was very different. Most days I would come home from work, drive the car into the garage, and close the door before going inside. Although a couple of families invited us to dinner, Tim and I didn’t make an effort to get to know many people. I’m ashamed to admit that I wouldn’t be able to pick most of them out in a crowd.

Why is this neighborhood so different? It’s not the quality of the houses or the nature of the people—the neighbors we did know in our old neighborhood were certainly kind. In my mind, the difference has been in the intention. Our current neighbors invite our family to do things, and if we say no, they still invite us the next time. They take the time to visit or wave to us and our children. They’ve brought us baby gifts, meals, and jars of Christmas goodies. They truly live out the idea of loving your neighbor as yourself. In turn, we’ve found ourselves reaching back to them, showing acts of kindness throughout the year that let them know we care.

Conversation Starter: How well do you know your neighbors? Brainstorm a list of their names, hobbies, and what matters to them. Then read the Scripture verses for today. What does it mean to love your neighbor as yourself?

Getting Started: Reach out to a neighbor in an intentional way. Drop off cookies, have your children make them a card, or simply give them your time and attention when you see them outside.

Verses:

Romans 13:8 

Galatians 5:14

Philippians 2:3-4 

1 Peter 4:9