There is a lot of unneighborly conduct these days—all manner of unkindness and cruelty result when hearts are full of jealousy, envy, bitterness, and malice. For example, the woke cancel culture of today shows no mercy to a neighbor. Its virtue signaling, self-vindication, and hypocritical deflection of self-scrutiny are bearing the fruit of injustice, suspicion, and division among us. Conversely, being a neighbor means showing mercy to others when they need it. To do that, we must have hearts full of compassion (Col. 3:12). Being a neighbor is about loving “your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all did that? In this encounter between a lawyer and Jesus (Luke 10:25-37), the critical question was not when the lawyer asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor” (Luke 10:29)? It was Jesus’s question back to him, “So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves” (Luke 10:36)? The true neighbor actively shows mercy to others (Rom. 13:8-10; 1 Pet. 3:8-9). We ought to look for opportunities to show mercy to others. They are not hard to find. Be a neighbor today. Show mercy to someone in their time of need. You will reap what you sow (Matt. 5:7).
Tag Archives: Levite
“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” #2047
29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.” (Luke 10:29–30, NKJV)
Mr. Rogers sang a children’s song on his television show that asked, “Won’t you be my neighbor?” The expert in the Law of Moses wanted to prove himself innocent in the matter of loving his neighbor as himself (Lk. 10:26-28). So he asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus taught him that loving our neighbor means being a neighbor to others instead of thinking some people are not my neighbors. He told of a man who was robbed, stripped of his clothing, and left wounded on the side of the road. Neither the passing priest nor Levite helped him (Lk. 10:31-32). But a Samaritan saw the man, was moved with compassion, and assisted him. (Remember, Jews did not consider Samaritans as their neighbors, Jno. 4:9.) Compassion for the stranger moved the Samaritan to sacrifice his travel plans, his time, and his money to help the unfortunate man (Lk. 10:33-35). We love our neighbor as ourselves when we act out of compassion and show mercy to others (Lk. 10:36-37). The Samaritan was a neighbor who helped his neighbor. Do not ask, “Who is my neighbor?” Instead, ask, “Am I being a neighbor to others?”
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