“Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He (the lawyer) said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go and do likewise.” Luke 10:36-37 ESV
A lawyer came to Jesus and asked him, “Who is my neighbor?” Instead of a direct reply, Jesus responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan. It is very revealing that the hero in this parable was a Samaritan, the very people the Jews despised.
Loving my neighbor isn’t just about loving those nearest to my heart. Loving my neighbor isn’t about prioritizing people according to race, gender, nationality or personal beliefs. Loving my neighbor is not a matter of worthiness but a matter of want and need. Loving my neighbor sometimes entails caring for those outside the boundaries of family, friends, or community. Isn’t that precisely what Jesus did when he ‘hung out with the low-lifes’ of his day and age?
Biblical love stretches the limits of our comfort zone. It urges us to exchange our petty preferences for a gospel that reaches across the aisles of political allegiance, social prejudice, and personal convictions. Because the gospel of grace is not just for some, but for whosoevers.
Prayer: Lord, rid me of all prejudice and faulty convictions. Teach me to love as you loved, wholly and unconditionally. Open my eyes to look beyond flesh and blood and see people as you see them, souls in need of a Savior. Amen
Thought: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16