When asked, what is the most important command in the Bible, Jesus responded by saying, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31) Jesus has commanded us to love our neighbors, the question is, are we willing to do it!? This Summer, we as a church family are prayerfully and intentionally moving towards our neighbors. We believe that Jesus will use this labor to not only impact others, but grow, shape and transform us. We have seen tangible evidence of this commandment being lived out and celebrate and share these stories with our family.
Kaylee and Dustin Ohlin moved into their first home over a year ago. Surrounded by a vibrant neighborhood, they soon began to meet their neighbors. Quick transactions of information, a “how are you?” or a hand wave exchanged presented opportunities for new friendships especially with their neighbor just next door to them, Jean. On an average day last year, leftover birthday cake sat in front of Kaylee in her kitchen after a birthday party the night before. She didn’t want the tasty dessert to be wasted.
“I wondered “what are we going to do with all this cake?” Kaylee exclaimed. “We thought of Jean and put some cake in a Tupperware and gave it to her. A few days later, she put something in it and returned it us. It has now become a treat that goes back and forth.”
Over the course of a year, they have exchanged pastries, desserts, buttermilk ranch with carrots and celery, and all kinds of concoctions.
“It has also migrated to smoothies, drinks, and all sorts of things,” Kaylee described. “The Tupperware just goes back and forth. And we just fill it whenever we have time.”
This traveling Tupperware has evolved into something more for Kaylee and Jean. It has given each of them connection and opportunities to do life together and to serve one another.
“In the beginning it was sharing food, but now in it has become more,” Kaylee said with a huge smile. “We have watched Husker games together, we walk her dog Charlie and chat afterwards, and we just have this great relationship and friendship with her. She always talks to us for a long time. That relationship has been sweet for all of us. It makes us feel we have someone close that we can count on and a mutual relationship that we care for one another.”
A few months ago, Kaylee and Dustin were gone for a global mission trip and because of Jean, they knew their house would be well looked after. When they got home, treats and flowers were waiting for them courtesy of Jean. Recently, the three of them made a pact to be healthier. This past week’s Tupperware reflected their pact.
“The last thing she did last week was she sent over bloody marys,” Kaylee grinned. “We are all trying to be healthier, so Jean included veggies with the drinks and told us to eat the veggies.”
Kaylee concluded with this,
“Jean is amazing, and we are so thankful. She takes care of us with texts that our power has come back on, when we had water in our basement she gave us her shop vac... she has become a member of our family because of all these things. If she were right here, I would thank her for being someone that we can trust and have fun with.”
Being a neighbor doesn’t require anything big. It can be a small gesture that can start a relationship that builds over time. The expectations to be neighborly shouldn’t cause pressure or look a certain way. It’s the care and friendship you pass on to your neighbor and sometimes in the moment that helps us move towards one another. Just like the piece of cake in the traveling Tupperware.
For easy ideas, visit citylightomaha.org/neighbor.