The garage door opener syndrome has changed how we in our neighborhoods interact with one another. We open the garage door in the morning as we drive out and close the garage door as we drive in. We find ourselves rarely having to interact with anyone else on our street.
When I come home my favorite tv show and the microwave oven await me like an old friend. I sit in a familiar and comfortable enviornment as I watch the the evening news. The bad news is outside my door. I feel safe for the moment.
I open the garage door again to drive myself, the kids or family to school, athletic events, church activities or the store which usually take place outside the neighborhood.
I run myself ragged along with the rest of my family with all the picking up and dropping off with barely enough time to breath before I start over the next day.
Most of the people I have interacted with on a regular basis live outside our neighborhood as well. We find our social interactions take place using cell phones, email. instant messaging.
When I do go outdoors for a walk or jog it is usually with a musical device connected to my ears or mowing a lawn, washing a car, or barbecueing in the backyard.
How many times do we find ourselves outside our house trying to get a better signal on the cell phone and when we are done, we disappear into our cozy rabbit hole once more.
Do we fail to see the danger of isolating ourselves in the neighborhoods we live in. No one knows who we really are and we know little about who they are either…. at least until we see them on the evening news. By then it’s to late.
As much as I would like to, I find myself too busy to create the positive change my life let alone the neighborhood.
That needed to change. And it has.
As for me, I have chosen to no longer live the kind of frenzied life that swallows me up by simply changing the way I think about what I do and taking practical steps to implement it.
I have found how much life is right here in front of me. I have less stress, deeper relationships and better health. Of all the activities I have been involved in I have never experienced the spiritual transformation in my life I am seeing now.
It is making a difference in my neighbors lives as well. Spiritual transformation is beginning to take place in the most unusual ways as more and more neighbors are beginning to experience God’s hand in thier lives.
One of the side affects is that our neighborhood is becoming a thriving, living and healthy place to enjoy life. The Holy Spirit is leading the way. We are simply obeying.
A spiritually transformed neighborhood makes healthy communities and that’s good for everyone.
It can happen to you if you want it.
Note:
After writing this article, I ran across a book by Randy Frazee called, Making Room for Life which I highly recommend along with his other book, The Connecting Church.
Is it possible God is trying to tell us something?
