Won’t you be a neighbor?

Have you ever noticed how a simple “hello” can transform a neighborhood?

A wave across the street, a shared meal, a helping hand, or an unexpected act of kindness can turn strangers into friends, friends into family, and families into neighborhoods of belonging.

This brings to mind our recent move to Fort Worth and, even more so, my childhood watching Fred Rogers. Now, decades later, I see my children learning those same lessons about being a good neighbor through Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.

Every time Fred Rogers laced up his sneakers and sang his neighborly song, he wasn’t just welcoming us into his world—he was teaching us that being a good neighbor is an intentional act of loving good and rejecting evil.

But long before Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, King David wrestled with what it meant to build a neighborhood that reflected God’s heart.

In Psalm 101 from Sunday’s message, A Prayer For The Neighborhood, David sang and prayed for neighborhoods built on integrity, mercy, and justice:

1 I will sing of steadfast love and justice;

    to you, O Lord, I will make music.
2 I will ponder the way that is blameless.

    Oh when will you come to me?

I will walk with integrity of heart

    within my house;
3 I will not set before my eyes

    anything that is worthless.

I hate the work of those who fall away;

    it shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall be far from me;

    I will know nothing of evil.
5 Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly

    I will destroy.

Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart

    I will not endure.
6 I will look with favor on the faithful in the land,

    that they may dwell with me;

he who walks in the way that is blameless

    shall minister to me.
7 No one who practices deceit

    shall dwell in my house;

no one who utters lies

    shall continue before my eyes.
8 Morning by morning I will destroy

    all the wicked in the land,

cutting off all the evildoers

    from the city of the Lord.

Centuries later, another King left His heavenly throne to step into a broken world to love good and reject evil.

Through the parable of the Good Samaritan, King Jesus showed us that neighbors aren’t just those who look like us or live next door—they are anyone and everyone in need of love, compassion, and care. 

And because all of humanity is the least of these, King Jesus became the ultimate neighbor, rescuing us with inseparable mercy and justice. 

He freed us from sin and death, leading us into the wholeness of hope and life so we could belong in His neighborhood—heaven coming to earth.

With this in mind, we should ask ourselves daily:


• Are we truly present where we live, work, and play?
   
• Do our neighbors—coworkers, classmates, friends, and family—see us as people who love good and reject evil?

   
• Are we willing to step outside our comfort zones to bring hope, mercy, and justice where they’re needed most?

As we pray today, let’s ask and believe:

🙏 That we walk with integrity, honoring God in the seen and unseen.

🙏 That we see and care for the faithful in our neighborhoods.

🙏 That we build real relationships with our neighbors, just as Jesus did.

🙏 That we extend mercy and justice to those in need.

🙏 That workplaces become neighborhoods of serving and loving, not just income.

🙏 That neighborhoods reflect unity, peace, and God’s heart.

🙏 That neighborhoods reflect generosity—sharing time, resources, and presence—as led by the Holy Spirit.

🙏 That our church faithfully prays and takes action for our neighbors by name to know Jesus.

God, through Jesus, became what we could never be on our own so that we might become neighbors who reflect His mercy and justice—neighbors who don’t just exist in space but transform it by His love and spirit.

Because a neighborhood isn’t just where we live, work, and play—it’s where we are called to love like Jesus.

See you at noon!

God Bless,

Pastor Alvin and Mallary Brown
alvin@makingamosaic.com :: mallary@makingamosaic.com

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General Prayer Requests & Updates

For evangelism to flourish so communities and campuses in the greater Fort Worth area will be reached, and the lost will see and experience the love of Christ and be drawn to his kingdom.

For signs and wonders to follow the preaching of His Word.

For team unity and laborers to help carry the load.

For finances and provisions.

For fully funded campus missionaries (2 per campus) to help reach the next generation — Texas Christian University (TCU), Tarrant County College (TCC), Texas Wesleyan University (TWU) and Tarleton State University – Fort Worth (TSU), University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), and Dallas Baptist University (DBU).