#11: Play
Love Your Neighbor ChallengeWell, this is a fun one! Today on the Love Your Neighbor Challenge you get to play with a neighbor.
Enjoying a walk together or playing a game in the park are more than mindless ways to pass the time: play is actually a sign of peace, safety and strength in your community. This prophetic and playful Old Testament passage describes God’s ideal vision of community—
A Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies: “Old men and old women will come back to Jerusalem, sit on benches on the streets and spin tales, move around safely with their canes—a good city to grow old in. And boys and girls will fill the public parks, laughing and playing—a good city to grow up in.” Zechariah 8:4-5 The Message
Play is more than fun and games (although that’s great, too!). This is an opportunity to get to know your neighbor, talk and share between games, and learn what’s on their heart. These natural connections lead to spiritual conversations. Now get out there and play!
Get out and play!
Here are 45 ways to get out of the house and play with your neighbors today:
- Miniature golf
- Dog park
- Board games
- Card games
- Cooking class
- Exercise class
- Gardening class
- Art class
- Self-defense training
- Zoo
- Parade
- Karaoke
- Museum
- Music concert
- Drama
- Theater
- Lecture
- Conference
- Art exhibit
- Gallery opening
- Book signing
- Movie
- High school sports
- Pro sporting event
- College game
- Park league
- Hiking
- Biking
- Fishing
- Boating
- Golfing
- Skiing
- Horseback riding
- Ice skating
- Bowling
- Swimming
- Softball
- Basketball
- Pickleball
- Kickball
- Flag football
- Shooting range
- Shopping
- Winery
- Take a walk
The purpose of play
God had more in mind than our pleasure and enjoyment when He envisioned a playful society. According to Helpguide.org, play can provide these 15 benefits:
- Relieves stress
- Improves brain function
- Stimulates the mind and boost creativity
- Improves relationships and connections
- Keeps you feeling young and energetic
- Develops and improve social skills
- Teaches cooperation with others
- Heals emotional wounds
- Boosts productivity and innovation
- Keeps you functional when under stress
- Refreshes your mind and body
- Encourages teamwork
- Helps you see problems in new ways
- Triggers creativity and innovation
- Prevents burnout
Check your local newspaper, school website and park department website for fun things to do with your neighbor, and ask your friends for tips. There are low-cost and no-cost ideas on this list that are perfect for introverts and extroverts, athletes and artists.
The two most important things you can do to make your neighborhood safer
are to get to know your neighbors’ names and to get out of your house.
How to Love Your Neighbor Without Being Weird, page 115
Neighbors who play together stay together!
Follow the Love Your Neighbor Challenge on Facebook or Instagram!
If these tips and tools have given you a new idea, if you’ve met a new neighbor or thought about your neighbors in a different way, would you please let me know?
Contact me or message me on Instagram or Facebook. I’d love to hear your stories!
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