“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

-Jesus of Nazareth

I get along with my neighbors pretty well. There’s a large family with a lot of teenagers that live next door to me, very nice people. The kids offer to help out pretty regularly whether we’re moving furniture or having a cookout. The guys at the end of the block had us over to their new roof deck our first night in the new house. Mr. Swan let me borrow his water hose a week or two ago. A few folks from across the alley came to our housewarming last weekend and brought wine.

I don’t have a gate on the back of my fence, and I don’t want one. But there’s that person who has their dog poop in my backyard, and trust me, it’s not accidental. I realized this morning that what I thought was a popped front bike tire due to the heat was actually someone letting the air out of both tires.

I didn’t do anything to you. We dropped off cookies to everyone on the block and invited you to a cookout. We’re quiet and respectful.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

-Jesus of Nazareth