This Christian Life

What People Remember

The other day we held a garage sale on our block. Several neighbors on our side of the street decided to do it together—attract more customers. We live on a busy street and we rarely talk to the neighbors across the street. However, I noticed there were a few things for sale out in front of the house across the street. Half way through the day, I decided to be friendly and go over and formally introduce myself to this neighbor I had otherwise only seen from afar. It’s the right thing to do—right? The good, Christian thing to do is meet your neighbors and get to know them, live with them, give them milk and eggs when they’re desperate, help them when they’re in trouble.

He and (what I supposed to be) his son were on the front porch playing checkers on a plexi-glass playing board with bottle caps and coins. As I approached, the large man skeptically turned his head to watch me approach.

I said, “Hi. I’m Paul. The neighbor from… over there,” as I jerked my thumb across my shoulder towards the large junk sale in my front yard.

He said, “Hi. I’m Tony. Yeah, I know you… you’re the one who yelled at me to stop shooting fireworks during the night on 4th of July several years ago. I remember you.”