A neighbour is a person our path cross along life’s sojourn; this is position of our Lord Jesus Christ on who a neighbour is and should be in Luke 10:29-37. Based on this teaching, it’s clear that a neighbour is not only a person living next door.
Its always a great blessing to live in a community with good neighbours; people you enjoy being around and are there even in times of needs. However, the opposite is the case, when faced with neighbours who are difficult, rude or show a lack of consideration for you and the others. you might be tempted to deal with them at the expense of your relationship with God.
For the good of a Christian, it is best to first digest the expectations of God in neighbour – neighbour relationship.
God’s expectations
👉🏽Be truthful to your neighbour -Prov. 29:5; Lev 6:2
👉🏽Value your neighbour -Prov 27:10
👉🏽Don’t be a false witness against your neighbour -Prov 25:18
👉🏽Don’t be overbearing -Prov.25:17
👉🏽Talkover issues with your neighbours and don’t betray their confidence. -Prov. 25:9
👉🏽Don’t be in a hurry to fight your neighbour -Prov 25:8
👉🏽Don’t destroy your neighbour secretly -Deut. 27:24
👉🏽Have no sexual relationship with your neighbour’s wife. -Lev 19:20; prov. 6:29
👉🏽Don’t defraud your neighbour -Lev.19:13
👉🏽Rebuke your neighbour when necessary -Lev 19:18
👉🏽Lend to your neighbour -prov 3:28
👉🏽Don’t device evil against your neighbour -Prov 3:29
👉🏽Don’t despise your neighbour -Prov 11:12; 14:21
👉🏽Love your neighbour as yourself -Matt. 22:39
These are the ways God expects us to relate with our neighbours; whether those living near us or those in the work place or on a transit.
God knew some of these people would be ‘difficult’ and troublesome, but he instructs his children to relate to them with every sense of responsibility and love. However dealing with the difficult ones, needs extra efforts.
Tips on handling a difficult neighbour
● Be tolerant – this is the key, but there can be a point where tolerance fails to yield peace.
● Be Patience
👏Be prayerful (Matt 5:44)
● Approach maters with care and wisdom
● Avoid gossips and hearsays – deal with facts
● Make sincere effort to talk over matters
● Use third party mediation where necessary
● Forgive more
● Seek legal council, when all other sincere effort fails.
Precautionary tips when ever you are in a new neighbourhood:
✔Greet warmly
✔Be a little reserved; listen carefully
✔Don’t gossip.
✔Don’t seek support against another.
✔Don’t support one against another. Be truthful
✔Positively mind your business.
✔Borrow less (if you must), lend carefully.
Conclusion
Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Rom. 12:17-18,21