How Are Your Neighbors?

“Do not twist justice in legal matters by favoring the poor or being partial to the rich and powerful. Always judge people fairly” - Lev. 19:15

I’ve clearly been on a streak recently of being given some valuable books to review. Recently, I was offered to review “Neighborliness” by David Docusen. I thought “Why not? I’d love to be a great neighbor!” Clearly, I did not pay too much attention to the whole cover of the book or I would have noticed where it said “Crossing dividing lines”. Yes, this was a book about the racial tensions in America and I can’t say I would have read it if I had known the topic. I’m glad I read it, however.

Let me explain a little bit of MY lens on books regarding racial tension. I am white - but my family is from the Appalachian mountains. For those who don’t know, this is a community hidden in the middle of the United States that you can only truly get to know if you intentionally seek it out and it takes years for an outsider to understand our community. I, however, was transplanted as a small child out of the mountains and into a pre-dominantly black inner - city community in St. Louis. This wasn’t weird to me, though. That was my life - traveling to a remote rural white area for holidays while living in a mostly black world during the rest of the year.

My own confusion began when I started to get denied opportunities - “Because I was white and that meant I was privileged”. I was almost immediately denied a high school opportunity with a medical college as soon as they saw me in person and realized I was white. College scholarships were refused because of my skin color. Look up the statistics for people from the Appalachian mountains and compare it to the inner city statistics - you’ll be surprised. My skin was white and I was from not one, but two impoverished communities - but I was privileged.

I’m not resentful for this and it gave me a unique perspective for reviewing David’s book. I like this book because it gives my advice. Quit trying to fix everybody and everything. Yes, there are racial divides - there will continue to be and the solution is first & foremost the Gospel. Next, it is RELATIONSHIPS with fellow believers. If you need a pastor in your church or a special organization where only during those times people of different backgrounds relate - you’ve missed the Biblical mandates. David provides solid guidance to counteract this - using the Gospel as his first lens.

I appreciated that David is talking about how he knew how little of how blessed he was and others weren’t. From someone who came from one of the impoverished neighborhoods he’s talking about, I appreciate him acknowledging that he didn’t know there was a need. Once God opened his eyes, then he took immediate action. He didn’t jump in and try to fix people, start the next greatest non - profits or become the expert. Instead, he went to the community God gave him and invested in it (you’ll have to read the book to learn more).

The way David talks about engaging with the wealthiest and the poorest in his community to see how all their gifts could build their community and God’s Kingdom was amazing! He clearly set out to build friendship/community to strengthen his understanding. Relating to my own story, I appreciate that. Since I grew up in so many diverse environments - I found myself confused as to where I fit in. It made me a misfit and I’m glad it did. People have tried to get me to join their organizations or movements or to build things I don’t see a need for us to create more systems that make one race or the other an expert. I see a need for us to do like in “Neighborliness” and cross the divide from the wealthy suburb to the impoverished community five minutes away & vice versa. The location of David’s new church building was so intentional to do this (won’t give away more details).

Read the book and learn. Please don’t stop there though. While I fully acknowledge I have a Master’s Degree & David Docusen has a PhD, most of my knowledge hasn’t come from a degree. It’s come from sitting in the homes of single mothers in the inner city, running around all the streets of numerous cities with young men of a variety of races from the inner city & suburbs, attending a predominantly white/wealthy church (for me, that was the most out of my comfort zone), spending time with the elderly in nursing homes, and engaging a community in the midst of racial tensions across several states. I learned the most when I took what I’d learned in books and went to ask all different community members their opinions. If you are struggling - wherever you may be in the world with relating to people who look or live differently than you - I encourage you to read this book.

Lastly, as Editor - In - Chief, here at Tirzah I want to express how unique this community is. As you read articles, it is stories of women from all over the world. Stories of how Jesus has been faithful to us and what He has taught us. That is the beauty of story - telling. It allows you to become a place where everyone is living under Christ and pausing to listen/tell their stories of Christ’s redemption. It doesn’t matter where you are or who you are - God will meet you there. He could use you as a catalyst for your community - whether that be writing an article for Tirzah, helping a single mom with her kiddos, sharing coffee with a friend in a neighborhood you wouldn’t normally frequent, or pausing in your day to pray & ask God who He would have you talk to. The biggest difference I have seen is when I’ve gone to the local taco place in a neighborhood there’s not many white people and the person selling them lights up because he knows I’ve come to spend my money and gone to a community that I’m not normally in. It’s been sharing Jesus with a teenager in a black neighborhood while sitting on a street corner. Surprisingly, it’s also been while listening to the hearts of men similar to David - who have wealth and churches with wealth - but struggle to communicate how much they love other communities but they don’t know how to heal a divide. Don’t seek to change others. Ask Jesus to change you and see what He can do and how He uses your stories.