Who is my Neighbor?
Luke 10:25-37, Psalms 82
Jesus doesn’t give him a dictionary definition, but he
tells the true meaning of neighbor in a story. We have the story of the Good
Samaritan. A man is beat up and left for dead. A priest walks by and ignores
him and then a Levite. Now these are men who know and have studied the law but
obviously don’t consider this poor man a neighbor of theirs. Who comes to the
rescue to this stranger in need? - not the “religious” men but a Samaritan – a
tribe not respected by the Jews since they are considered half-breeds. Yet it
is this lowly stranger who takes care of the man.
Jesus asks the lawyer then, “Which of these men was a
neighbor?” He answers correctly again, “the one who showed him mercy.” Jesus
agrees with him and tells him to go and do likewise.
Who is this neighbor we are to show mercy to? It is
not just the people who live close by. Throughout the Old Testament and in
Psalm 82 we are told to give justice to the weak and orphan and to maintain the
rights of the lowly and destitute. The Psalm says to rescue the weak and needy,
delivering them from the hands of the wicked.
In this story Jesus taught, we have the lowly, a second-class
Samaritan taking care of the needy. The Good Samaritan went to a stranger in
need, considered him his neighbor, and took care of him.
May we show mercy to the strangers we encounter – to
those who are in need knowing that they too are God’s beloved children, even if
they don’t live in our neighborhood.
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