“‘Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?’ He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You go, and do likewise.’” – Luke 10:36-37
We are commanded in both the Old and New Testaments to love our neighbors as ourselves. Commanded! To help us understand this holy responsibility, Jesus famously told the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Being a neighbor isn’t just about waving to those who live physically close to us. It’s not about a vaguely positive feeling toward someone living in a nearby house. It isn’t limited geographically or ethnically.
Being a neighbor who loves well is about actively getting involved and helping anyone we encounter who is in need. The Samaritan in the story didn’t live near the man who’d been attacked and left for dead. He came upon him in the course of an otherwise ordinary day on the road in a foreign land. What made the Samaritan a true neighbor, pleasing to God, is that he interrupted his day to help the injured man. He went out of his way to help meet his every need. He gave freely of his time and money. He met the man where he was, attended to his needs, and made provision for him. That loving a neighbor (who is a complete stranger) as yourself!
This is what genuine mercy and compassion looks like! Is this how you love the people you encounter each day? Do you put down your phone, slow down your car, and make yourself late for your next appointment to care for someone in need? Do you do it for those who are very different from you in appearance, status, or situation? What made this parable so shocking to its original audience is that the hero of the story, a Samaritan, was part of a despised ethnic group. Centuries of hatred, contempt, and fear were woven into this little story. The Samaritan crossed massive cultural divisions to help someone simply because he was in need. This is how the mercy and compassion of Jesus works!
So, how are you as a neighbor? Is anyone really your neighbor? Is everyone really your neighbor? Are you a Christlike neighbor to those who are very different from you? Take a good look at the practical mercy and compassion of the Samaritan, then good and do likewise! #FollowJesus