Who Is Your Neighbor?
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 22:39
Jesus answered the Jewish lawyer’s question, “Who is my neighbor?” with the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37). In this familiar story, a Jewish man is beaten and left for dead on the road. A compassionate Samaritan rescues the man, even though Samaritans and Jews normally hated one another.
The point of the story is that your neighbor is whoever comes across your path with a need. Would you have reacted the way the Samaritan did if you had encountered the injured man along the side of the road? Hopefully you would not have passed him by, as the priest and Levite did in the story.
The lesson of the parable is not that you must stop and help everyone who has a flat tire, or that you have to give money to every panhandler you meet. But God wants you to be sensitive to such situations and willing to help if you think your assistance is the only aid the person is likely to receive. In other words, follow the Golden Rule: “‘Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them’” (Mat 7:12).
MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 231). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.
Lessons Learned: Our definition of "who is our neighbor?" is much narrower than God's definition. We like to think of our neighbors as those we know; family, friends, co-workers. Jesus' parable of the good samaritan teaches us that anyone in need is our neighbor, and we must love them, and minister to them.
Applications: Start thinking about all those who you know who are in need. Think about how you can serve them and in so doing, love them. Love them like you love yourself, treat them as you would want to be treated. Expand your ministry to include anyone, including strangers, whom you can help, especially those who have no one else to help them.
Prayer Subjects: Pray for a heart of compassion to reach out to those in need. Pray that I would not pass by opportunities to serve out of selfishness, or fear. Pray for a deeper understanding of Christ's greatest commandments; to love him completely, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mat 22:37-40).
Listen to this entry
Matthew 22:39
Jesus answered the Jewish lawyer’s question, “Who is my neighbor?” with the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37). In this familiar story, a Jewish man is beaten and left for dead on the road. A compassionate Samaritan rescues the man, even though Samaritans and Jews normally hated one another.
The point of the story is that your neighbor is whoever comes across your path with a need. Would you have reacted the way the Samaritan did if you had encountered the injured man along the side of the road? Hopefully you would not have passed him by, as the priest and Levite did in the story.
The lesson of the parable is not that you must stop and help everyone who has a flat tire, or that you have to give money to every panhandler you meet. But God wants you to be sensitive to such situations and willing to help if you think your assistance is the only aid the person is likely to receive. In other words, follow the Golden Rule: “‘Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them’” (Mat 7:12).
MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 231). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.
Lessons Learned: Our definition of "who is our neighbor?" is much narrower than God's definition. We like to think of our neighbors as those we know; family, friends, co-workers. Jesus' parable of the good samaritan teaches us that anyone in need is our neighbor, and we must love them, and minister to them.
Applications: Start thinking about all those who you know who are in need. Think about how you can serve them and in so doing, love them. Love them like you love yourself, treat them as you would want to be treated. Expand your ministry to include anyone, including strangers, whom you can help, especially those who have no one else to help them.
Prayer Subjects: Pray for a heart of compassion to reach out to those in need. Pray that I would not pass by opportunities to serve out of selfishness, or fear. Pray for a deeper understanding of Christ's greatest commandments; to love him completely, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mat 22:37-40).
Listen to this entry
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