A Good Neighbor

by Kit Swartz

“Like a good neighbor” is a slogan for a well-known insurance company.  For this to be meaningful, we must have some idea of what a good neighbor is.  Following the rest of the slogan, a good neighbor is someone who “is there” for you when you need help.  For the insurance company to be there, it is necessary and right for you to pay a premium.  But good neighbors don’t require payment, they simply help you in any way they can.

The Great Commandment of the Christian life is “love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and your neighbor as yourself”.  Love for the neighbor is defined as fulfilling the law; namely, you shall not murder your neighbor but do all you can to protect and provide for their life.  You shall not commit adultery with your neighbor’s spouse but do all you can to protect and provide for their marriage.  You shall not steal from your neighbor but do all you can to protect and provide for their prosperity.  You shall not lie about your neighbor but do all you can to protect and provide for their good reputation.  You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor but do all you can to cultivate contentment in your own life so that you will not injure your neighbor in order to get what you want.  See our Catechisms on The Ten Commandments for a full and wonderful elaboration of these things.

Many people don’t want the Ten Commandments chiseled into a big chunk of marble and installed in their public space.  Many people don’t want the Ten Commandments required of them by civil law.  But anyone would be happy to have a neighbor who keeps these commandments.  Who would not want a neighbor who is committed to help you, not hurt you; who won’t steal your stuff or run off with your wife and who won’t spread lies about you all over town?  Everyone wants a neighbor like that!

As Christians we are, and ought to be, a blessing to our community by being good neighbors.  This means keeping the Ten Commandments. We must devote ourselves to this and seek strength from God to do it.  Christians are not just another special interest group that makes demands of our community and culture.  We are here to serve, not be served.  And we serve by being good neighbors. As a good neighbor, we must be there.

Kit Swartz    Teaching Elder Emeritus, RPC Oswego; Ruling Elder retired, RPC Fulton