My neighbors are horrible people.
What do I do?
Hi, welcome to today's little lesson, and we've been taking some time over the previous
little lessons to answer some questions sent to us by some of our beloved viewers.
Today's question is a great one, and I sympathize so much with this person who wrote to me to
ask.
I just got to read the whole communication to you so you can hear it.
Here's what he says.
He's in Idaho.
Okay, I'm sure there's lots of great folks in Idaho, but I'm sure they've got their share
of not so great folks too.
He says, I have a neighbor with a totally dead yard filled with weeds.
Okay, that's not looking good.
It is also the dogs' dumping grounds.
It's getting worse.
They keep having children, about one every two years.
They're a welfare family, so they're cashing in.
There's always crying babies.
They let their kids scream.
I never know if there's a real emergency or not.
They smoke, drink, talk loud at night.
Also letting the dog bark at night.
Basically, totally white trash.
Isn't your heart going out to this guy?
If there's an opportunity to meet them and be Christian, I will.
He's, I think, implying that I haven't gone over there yet.
They're driving me crazy, and if I get the chance, I will, and I'll be a Christian.
But I also pray for a wisdom.
Good for you.
And wisdom tells me to stay away from them because I might say or do something to make
the situation worse.
Any thoughts?
Well, first of all, my heart goes out to you and everyone like you watching this video
who has a cordial problem neighbor.
And first of all, it's an opportunity to become more like Christ who was the friend of sinners,
the lover of all people.
Here's the first thought.
Keep in mind, Jesus died for those white trash people.
They're living next to you with the weeds and the dog dirt and the screaming children
and the barking dog.
And you know, He actually died for their sins because He loves them.
And He wants them to be transformed, to become good neighbors who love their neighbors and
treat their neighbors as they want to be treated.
And so they can be in heaven and be with lots of good neighbors forever and ever, actually
living in the new earth with the new heavens.
That's God's plan.
First of all, that's my advice, but try to look at them as God sees them.
God's a lot more merciful and kind than most of us are.
But we have Him in us.
It gives us the potential to also have love for those kinds of people.
Now to your point at the end, you said if there's an opportunity to meet them and be
a Christian, I will.
All right.
I'm going to encourage you.
Go do it.
Go over there and introduce yourself and don't say anything negative.
You just make up your mind because you said you're afraid I'm going to say something that's
going to make it worse.
Just don't say anything negative.
In fact this is not like ... these aren't your enemies because they're not against you.
They don't hate you, but it's under that category of love your neighbor.
This is your actual neighbor and love your enemies.
Also, of course, and these people are driving you crazy.
Maybe, not only go over and meet them, but take a pie or take a cake.
Or if you see something that they obviously lack, you can take it to them.
Okay?
All of us are a product of our own decisions, of course.
But it's not just that.
We're a product of our influences that affected us from the time we were very young.
And there's so many people like this that he's talking about that grew up like this.
And they don't know anything better than this.
And that's their life.
Their miserable life is all they've ever known, and you've got something so much better.
This is your opportunity to let your light shine.
Okay?
And one thing I learned from some people that are great disciple makers is that rotten people
often make wonderful Christians.
It could be worse.
These people could be deeply religious people who would never in a heartbeat listen to you
because they're so sure that their churches is right.
You got some people that are just one step out of hell and their life is hell.
They've probably known this all their lives.
This is as good as it has ever gotten for them.
Go over there and you can do it.
You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.
Christ in you can give you the power to go over there, introduce yourself and be a Christian.
And reach out and do something nice.
Then try to build a relationship.
Don't wait too long, but you gotta wiggle Jesus into the conversation sometime.
And maybe just tell your testimony and say, "Hey, at one time in my life, I, one, two,
three, ABC, whatever, but something happened in my life that totally changed me.
And now one, two, three, ABC and you want to know what happened?"
And see what they say.
Sometimes people like this are much more receptive than the people living in the nice neighborhoods
and have their act all together.
You've got a golden opportunity there.
And when you say, I pray for wisdom, wisdom tells me to stay away from them because I
might say or do something to make the situation worse.
Okay, I get that.
But I'm just encouraging you that you've got Christ in you, and so you can do better than
that.
You don't have to worry that you're going to say or do something that would make the
situation worse.
Just make up your mind.
I'm going to bridle my tongue.
I'm not going to say anything negative.
I'm just gonna ooze the love.
And you will be blessed.
I guarantee you.
See, because this is how God works.
You step out by faith to obey him and then He helps you.
You can't walk on the water unless you step out of the boat.
Get over there and do something nice.
And maybe you could say, "Hey, I could watch your kids for a half hour tonight while you
... we just want to go out and take a walk together and we'll stay here, and we'll watch
your kids."
And then you've put them on a swing set or something like that and whatever.
Just some little act of kindness to where they can see that you are nice folk.
It'll cause the wheels to begin spinning in their mind and affect their heart.
This is a golden opportunity for the gospel and for your ministry.
And this applies to anyone else who's got a neighbor like ... well this is a bad one.
I'm telling you what.
Oh boy, this is a bad one.
I've had a few barking dog neighbors over the years and a few pooping dogs over the
years, but I've never had this.
I read that letter.
I was just saying, "Well, I'm glad it wasn't me."
But we all run into people that are hard to love on some level.
We all do.
They're out there, and that's our calling is to love people that you naturally wouldn't
love.
All right.
Thanks so much for joining me on today's little lesson.
Hope to see you next time.
God bless.