What does it mean to be a good neighbour? The word “neighbour” is often used in the Bible, especially in passages relating to how we should treat other people around us.

In the Old Testament, there are many laws and teachings about how the Israelites should treat those around them. The New Testament is no exception; it is where “love your neighbour as yourself” comes from as well as the Golden Rule.

It is clear that God’s intention for us is to be good neighbours wherever we are, people who shine His light in our communities through our words and actions.

But how can we be good and godly neighbours?

Well, serving with my church’s block pastoring efforts have shown me that there are many ways we can be a blessing to our friends around us so that they can encounter the love of Christ.

1. Meet needs in a relevant way

Blessing others starts by understanding their needs. Understanding specific ways our neighbours could receive help or acts of kindness would allow our actions to be much more intentional and sincere.

Additionally, we can also consider the five love languages when we think about how to bless our neighbours. Whether it’s an act of service or a handmade gift – there are many ways we can make our neighbours feel appreciated and loved.

Festive seasons such as Chinese New Year and Christmas can also be great opportunities to bless our neighbours!

2. Make room for our neighbours

Getting to know our neighbours on a much deeper and regular manner can also be a great blessing to them.

Truly getting to know our neighbours as people means creating a safe space where we can share about life and even our struggles in an authentic and gentle way. To do that, we need to figure out what our friends are comfortable with.

So, whether it’s one-to-one conversations over coffee or simply texting over WhatsApp – the important thing here is to cultivate a relationship with our neighbours. 

3. Minister to our neighbours

A little different from meeting felt needs, ministering to our neighbours here means having the courage to step out of our comfort zones to pray for our neighbours.

When we pray with our neighbours and for their needs, we are inviting God’s presence into their lives and allowing them to see how God can move.

Perhaps your neighbour is suffering from an illness or stuck in a stressful situation – these can be opportunities to bring healing or provision from God into their lives.

Pray and ask the Lord how you can help your neighbours to encounter Jesus!

4. Make the Gospel known

Finally, the greatest blessing you can ever give is sharing the Good News. We need to share the Gospel with those who are around us. 

Our role is to proclaim Jesus’ message in this world, and to demonstrate His love both through our words and actions.

These 4 Ms aren’t exhaustive in terms of what being a good neighbour looks like. Think of them more as a helpful tool for anyone seeking to get to know their neighbours and be a blessing.

There are many other ways we can love our neighbours in our day-to-day lives and the most important thing we should do is to ask the Holy Spirit to empower us.

At the end of the day, let us remember that learning to love and bless our neighbours should start from a place of surrender.

By committing our words and actions to God, we can be filled with the Holy Spirit. In turn, the Holy Spirit can touch the lives of those around us. Let us be good and godly neighbours today!