Reprinted from September 2019

Question: I live next door to a wonderful family with two children, ages 5 and 7. They’ve always been good neighbors but have been particularly protective of me since my wife passed away a year and a half ago. In other words, we’re like family. The 5-year-old left his bicycle in the front yard and it was stolen. He had been told to always put his bike in the garage when he was through riding it. The mom asked if they should scold him. I told her I didn’t think so since the loss of the bike was hard enough for him to have to deal with. I told her to just keep reminding him and his sister about keeping their belongings safe. 

I bought each of them a new bicycle – I’m not telling you this for you to tell me how nice I am. I just want them to trust in what life brings. At this time they’re wary of anyone coming into our neighborhood, even someone out for a walk. Please help us say something to them that will help restore their sense of safety and trust. – Troubled Neighbor

Dear Troubled Neighbor,

Let me see if I have the facts right. Your next-door neighbors with whom you have a good relationship (a true blessing) always warn their children to put their bikes in the garage when they’re done riding them. The youngest forgets that warning and leaves his bike out in the front yard and it’s stolen. As a result, they are wary of people (who may be potential thieves) coming into the neighborhood. 

After the dust has settled, your take on this situation is this: these neighbor kids and their parents just need to “trust in what life brings.” And despite their parent’s warnings, I am supposed to write something to help foster this “sense of safety and trust” in what life brings, despite the recent theft from their front yard. Do I have it right?

Thank you for being a kind-hearted neighbor. So many wish they had someone like you. Thank you for caring about the kids. I think they’re lucky to have you next door.

But the parents are shooting straight and your aim is skewed. They’re parents; safety is their No. 1 job. They can’t afford to “trust in what life brings.” Had their youngest listened to them, he’d still have his first bike. And the kids won’t always have a kind neighbor to make their wrongs right again.

They need to keep their eyes on new people coming into the neighborhood. They need to put their bikes away. They need to listen to their parents.

Until the entire world has a gracious heart like yours, maybe you should start listening to your neighbors.

Rev. Jon T. Karn, Light on the Corner Church
Montrose
yourpastorjon@gmail.com