Who Is My Neighbor?

The question, “Who is my neighbor?” is relevant today as we, as a nation, struggle to see and treat others around us in kind and loving ways. The question isn’t new. It was asked by a lawyer who was testing Jesus and trying to defend himself in Luke 10:25-37.

A “lawyer” asked Jesus, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” When Jesus asked him what was written in the law, the man answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself” (Lk 10:25-27). Jesus said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live” (10:28).

The lawyer, “…wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” (10:29). When he answered his own question it exposed his ulterior motive for asking the question, so he tried to save face (and test Jesus further) by asking what he thinks is a harder question.

“Love your neighbor as yourself” doesn’t seem so hard to understand until my neighbor doesn’t mow his grass, he isn’t friendly, his dog barks all night, he doesn’t speak my language, he takes my job, he causes my taxes to go up, he does something illegal, etc. Like the lawyer, we may chafe under the “love your neighbor” instruction in order to inherit eternal life and start trying to exclude people as our neighbors. So, who is my neighbor?

Jesus answered this question by telling the story of the “Good Samaritan” (Lk 10:30-36). A man, robbed, stripped, and left half dead, was ignored by a priest and Levite, but bandaged, cared for, and supported by a Samaritan (a nationality generally considered sub-human -physically, politically, spiritually - by the Jews). Jesus asked, “So, which of these three do you think was neighbor to him…?” “And he said, ‘He who showed mercy on him.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’” (10:36-37).

When Jesus said, “Go and do likewise,” what did He mean? He meant see others as our neighbors in spite of physical, political, and spiritual differences. Show compassion and mercy, and care about their needs. He meant, see everyone as our neighbors who we are to “love as yourself.” Notice the link in this story between love and mercy. The Samaritan demonstrated his love for his neighbor by feeling compassion and extending mercy toward the man in his misfortune.

When we try to shrink the circle of who is our neighbor, Jesus enlarges it to everyone. When we want to aim our love at those who need it least, Jesus aims it at those who need it most (the vulnerable, foreigners, suffering, and sinners). When we aren’t moved to help the helpless, Jesus says have compassion and actions that show mercy.

Jesus taught the lawyer who his neighbor was. Jesus taught us too. Now, “Go and do likewise” (Lk 10:37).   dd