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Neighborhood fences. In some areas of the country they don’t really have them; in other areas they don’t go without them. Older neighborhoods have less fences; people share yards. Usually fences are only built if there are animals on the property and the fence is short and built to be as invisible as possible. After all, the fence is to keep the pets in, not the neighbors out. Newer neighborhoods have fences around each and every house. In fact, it might be common to find fences that are automatically part of homes newly built. These fences are built high and tight with not even slivers of space for light to break through; they are clearly erected as a marker of privacy.

There is a big difference in a fence built out of courtesy for a neighbor and a fence built as a wall to the outside world.

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No doubt the current culture has lead people to be more cautious of each other. It could be said that this is understandably a result of rising crime or even threats of terrorism. But, in all honesty, if we took a hard look at all the fences springing up, we might find it is more about our unwillingness to share life with others; “What’s mine is mine and what’s yours is yours.”

Have you built any “fences” in your life in an effort to keep something for yourself?  Are you guarding your time too closely, missing out on opportunities to serve others? Are you keeping all your treasure to yourself?

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