OPINION: ALFORD: What neighbors really need is a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Nov. 6—Perhaps you heard about the redneck who, after moving into an apartment complex in town, had a neighbor start banging on the wall at 4 a.m.

"Luckily, I was still up playing Hank Williams Jr.," the redneck said.

The neighbor yelled, "Can I get a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T?"

"Absolutely," the redneck hollered back. "I love Aretha Franklin. Here you go. This one's for you."

Years ago, Susan and I lived in an apartment complex that allowed us to hear everything going on next door, upstairs, downstairs, outside, everywhere.

Our upstairs neighbor loved basketball and dribbled at all hours. The couple through one wall were quite quarrelsome with one another. The couple through the other wall were not, and I'll leave it at that. We ignored all the various noises, trying to live by what I consider a very important Bible verse:

"If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men" (Romans 12:18).

I'm glad that verse offers the qualifier, "if it be possible," because I've learned it's impossible to get along with some people. I'm reminded of Naboth in the Old Testament who had the misfortune of owning land next door to a king named Ahab. Ahab wanted Naboth's land so he could rip out the vineyard on it and plant an herb garden. But Naboth didn't want to sell the land. It had been in his family for generations.

Ahab's wife Jezebel took matters into her own hands, arranged for a couple of men to make up lies about Naboth so that he would be stoned to death, which allowed Ahab to take possession of the land and plant his garden.

What a horrible scheme. A good man was killed just so that an unjust man could take his property.

But that wasn't the end of the story. Ahab's entire family was held accountable. You may recall that his wife, the evil Jezebel who concocted the deadly plot, was thrown out a window and devoured by dogs. Well, she was mostly devoured. The dogs didn't eat her feet that carried her on her evil errands or her hands that did her evil deeds.

The point is, God wants us to love others, not do them harm.

"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself" (Galatians 5:14).

Ahab and Jezebel should have accepted Naboth's decision not to sell his land and vineyard. What they should have done is to show their neighbor a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Reach Roger Alford at 502-514-6857 or rogeralford1@gmail.com.