Air conditioning and neighbors

Romans 15:2 (ESV)

Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

Is it hot outside today where you live like it is here? If so, then let the sweat trickling across your forehead remind you to connect with your neighbors.

These days, Americans are so accustomed to air conditioning they rarely consider how different the world was before its invention. From the transport of fresh produce across the globe to the cool air blowing through your car vents, the benefits reach into nearly every area of life. And I must admit, I enjoy the creature comforts this technology provides as much as anyone.

Still, I feel something important has been lost. Before the introduction of home air conditioning units around the 1950s, it was often too hot to stay inside. As a result, the entire family would sit on the porch together and enjoy the evening breeze. Plus, with everyone outside, neighbors talked across porch railings and got to know one another.

But after air conditioning was made available, people retreated inside their homes, and the sense of community found in most neighborhoods began to fade. As one historian put it, walking down the street, you no longer heard the chatter “of people talking on the porch, but the whir of compressors.”

We are blessed with technology that allows us to be comfortable. But just because the summer heat forces you indoors, don’t let it make your neighborhood cold. Get to know the people around you. Say “hi” across the fence. Bring back that good ol’ fashion sense of community and show God’s love to those nearby.

Dear Lord, thank You for our neighbors. Help us to take the time to get to know them and spend time with them. Help us to be able to share Your love. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.