#4: Help
Walk It Out ChallengeChallenge #4: Help a Neighbor
Welcome back, Neighbor! If you are joining me from Chapter 4 of How to Love Your Neighbor Without Being Weird, you are ready to move from “seeing” your neighbors to “serving” them.
Today, we are looking for small, practical ways to lend a hand.
New here? You have stumbled onto Challenge #4 of my neighborhood outreach challenge. We are reclaiming our streets, one prayer (and one act of service) at a time. You can get the full 10-challenge framework in my new book, How to Love Your Neighbor Without Being Weird, but today, let’s be helpful.
The Challenge: Help Out
From the Book:
To help a neighbor, you have to be present and observant. Spend some extra time in your front yard today or linger in common areas. Look for a practical “favor” you can provide: bringing in their trash cans, offering to pick up an item while you’re at the store, or helping carry groceries. If it’s a rainy day, tuck their mail or newspaper safely under their porch. The goal is to perform one small act of service that eases a neighbor’s burden.
Sometimes “be helpful” feels vague. What does that actually look like? I’ve compiled a list of ideas to get your wheels turning.
Real Life Inspiration
When my husband was injured in a home accident, our neighbors stepped up in ways I’ll never forget. One neighbor shouted for help, another (a doctor!) came running. An ER nurse from down the street offered to make a house call, and someone else brought over warm brownies. One neighbor even stopped jackhammering their patio so he could rest!
You don’t need a crisis to help, though. Here are simple ways to serve today:
20 Ways to Help
- The Trash Can: Carry their cans back to the house after pickup (especially if it’s windy!).
- The Snow/Leaf Angel: Rake their leaves or shovel their sidewalk without being asked.
- The Errand: “I’m heading to the hardware store—need anything?”
- The Green Thumb: Offer to water their flowers if they are away.
- The Dandelion Defender: Share your weed spray with a neighbor who might not have the time or budget to treat their lawn.
- The Listener: Sometimes the biggest help is just listening past your comfort zone. You don’t have to fix it; just hear them.
- READ MORE
The Rules: No Weirdness!
From the Book:
Helping doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. It’s the small, natural things that count the most. You aren’t “saving” them; you’re just being a good neighbor.
If you’re worried about overstepping, always ask for permission first. If they decline, just smile and let them know the offer stands for next time. It’s only weird if you make it a big production!
Bonus Tip: Don’t be afraid to ask for help yourself, too. Community is built on mutual dependence, not just one-way giving.
God’s Way
From the Book:
Kindness is a powerful tool for reducing social anxiety and building bridges. When we serve our neighbors, we are reflecting the heart of Christ, who came not to be served but to serve.
By performing these small acts, you are showing your neighbors that they are seen and valued by both you and God. Your service is a physical manifestation of the gospel, softening hearts and opening doors for future spiritual conversations.
The Words: What to Say
Don’t overthink the offer. Keep it casual with this script from the book:
“Hey [Name], I’m heading to the grocery store (or the hardware store/post office). What can I pick up for you while I’m out?”
OR
“I see you have your hands full—may I give a hand with those groceries?”
Ready for Challenge #5?
You’ve lent a hand—now it’s time to use your voice.
In the 10th Anniversary Edition of How to Love Your Neighbor Without Being Weird, I walk you through 10 specific challenges to move from “stranger” to “neighbor,” including how to make that first phone call (without it being awkward) and how to navigate different personalities on your street.
20 Ways to Connect with a Neighbor
- Call a neighbor the next time you’re going to the grocery store, post office, hardware store, or mall and offer to pick up any items they might need. Better yet, invite them to come along.
- On a rainy day, deliver your neighbor’s newspaper or mail to her door with a plate of cookies—or a card that says, “Stay warm and dry!”
- Carry your neighbor’s trash cans back to their house
- Carpool to work together
- Take the neighbor kids to school on cold or inclement days
- Be available for latchkey kids for an hour or two after school. Make them a snack and ask about their homework.
- Share your wireless internet connection (make sure this isn’t against your internet service provider’s terms of service)
- Help carry in groceries
- Rake and bag their leaves in the fall
- Weed your neighbor’s flowerbeds, water their lawn or help them plant flowers
- Mow their lawn, then go the extra mile and trim the edges
- Shovel their sidewalk, driveway and porch, and sprinkle with salt if they’d like
- Scrape the frost off their car on a cold morning
- Share the dandelion spray—no one wants a yard full of weeds, but some neighbors might not know how to get rid of them or be able to afford it
- Listen long. Listen way past your comfort zone. You don’t have to solve their problems, just hear their heart.
- Teach a skill like cooking, sewing, scrapbooking, gardening
- Lend a tool or a book without expecting it back
- Help with a home improvement project
- Take them a meal if they’re sick—or for no reason at all!
- Share coupons you aren’t using (or sacrifice ones you would like to use)
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