Who Is My Neighbor

Luke 10:29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

An expert of the law asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life. He answered his own question in verse 27 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Then he asked Jesus for clarification to justify himself. “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus continues by telling the well known parable of the Good Samaritan.

We have a Good Samaritan in our neighborhood. I spent many hours this summer painting a barn quilt on two pieces of 4ft x 8ft plywood. After several coats of polyurethane over the painted star, it was time to hang the 8 foot square quilt. Our neighbor showed up, like he always does. He brought his boom truck and carpentry skills. Within an hour, we had the new addition hung on our barn. When I tried to pay him for his time and equipment, his response was “I am old school. This is what neighbors do.” What an example!

And who is your neighbor? How can you help the young couple across the street or the widow next door? Your outreach doesn’t stop in your neighborhood, but reaches to anyone in need throughout the world. How will you care for your neighbor?

The Parable of the Good Samaritan – Luke 10:30-37 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going Dow from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver counts and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”