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Who Is My Neighbour?

An ‘expert in the law’ was trying to trip Jesus up, asking what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus responded, "What is written in the Law?’ The man quoted from the Hebrew Bible words that are now often referred to as the ‘Great Commandment'. A summary of the entire Christian walk: love God and love your neighbour. The lawyer knew it, had likely studied it in depth, and could recite it. But did he really ‘get it’? He tries to trick Jesus again, ‘Who is my neighbor?’

Knowing that there was a good chance that this fellow and the other religious leaders may have a ‘head knowledge’ of such things, Jesus got down to the real heart of the matter, launching into one of the most well-known parables of the Bible, the Good Samaritan, to reposition this powerful truth from their heads to the hearts.

Can I recommend that you revisit this parable? As well as possibly bringing back some old Sunday School memories (felt boards and sock-puppets etc.), it’s extremely challenging as you dig deeper. I know I want to be less like the priest and the Levite and more like the Samaritan.

So. Who is my neighbor? Could it be, like it was for the good Samaritan, whoever God places in my path regardless of what culture, class, or religion? Family, friend, acquaintance, complete stranger and, yes, even our enemies? The Good Samaritan shows us that the word LOVE can sometimes be spelt A.C.T.I.O.N.

Jesus ended with, ‘Go and do likewise’.

Written by ROBBIE PARKIN