AM I A (GOOD) NEIGHBOR?
Luke 10:25-37
Introduction: Last Summer in our Inter Faith
clergy meeting we were encouraged to read the book, “The Good Neighbor.” And
watch the movie “Won’t you be my Neighbor?” by Fred Rogers. I read the book and
watched the movie and it was educational for me. For
the millions of adults who grew up watching him on public television in the
60’s, Fred Rogers represents the most important human values: respect,
compassion, kindness, integrity, humility.
In
Mr. Roger’s own words, “We
live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It’s easy to say
“It’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.” Then there
are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.”
The
main theme of that show is to convince us that while kindness and empathy are
in short supply today, it need not be that way.” Many would wish to live in Mr.
Roger’s Neighborhood, and have him as their neighbor. The truth of the matter
is then and even more so now there are people who are apathetic, and don’t want
to get involved in the lives of others.
In
the passage for our reflection from Luke 10:25-37 we see a community that was
averse to people who were different, and had a different set of values and
worship practices. Jesus walks right into to that setting, and challenges the
status quo of people and lays out certain universal principles that would be applicable
to all generations everywhere.
That
was all triggered by a question by an expert in the law who perhaps thought he
was smarter than Jesus. He asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor? But the question
should have been, Am I a (good) neighbor? In other words, the burden of proof
does not lie with another as to whether or not he is a neighbor in order to
qualify for my love. The question is, Am I a (good) neighbor to any and all,
especially to those who are needy?" Let’s journey into this to story.
I
JESUS’ NEIGHBORHOOD
The
neighborhood in Galilee where Jesus grew up and spent most of his adult life
was somewhat similar to the neighborhoods of America. There was income inequality There were strong
religious practices, racial and gender prejudices and diversity of people from
many parts of the then known world. Jesus seemed to have transcended everything
by preaching a counter cultural kingdom message, and exhorted his followers to
do the same.
At
this point the Lord appointed 72 other disciples and sent them two by two ahead
of him to every town he was about to go. They were given instructions to heal
the sick and preach the good news of the gospel. After a while the disciples
returned with joy and said, “even the demons submit to us in your name.” Jesu’s
private moments with his disciples was abruptly interrupted by a lawyer who
asked him this question what must I do to inherit eternal life.
The
question was in the right place, but the motivation was in the wrong place. Jesus
answered by asking, “what is written in the law and how do you read it? The
lawyer replied, “Love your God with all your heart and with all your heart, and
with all your soul and with all your strength. And Love your neighbor as you
love yourself.” Jesus said, you answered it rightly, do this and you will live.
Though
there were about 613 laws given by God both the positive and negative ones, if
people could follow these two greatest and the most important commandments of
loving God and loving their neighbor as themselves, they would be fulfilling
the entire law. It looks like the lawyer knew these two commandments intellectually,
but was not applying what he knew.
Similarly,
we may know and understand the scripture from cover to cover, but when it comes
to its practical application, are we any different? The lawyer wanted to justify
himself so he asked Jesus a trick question, who is my neighbor? That led Jesus
to tell this familiar story.
II. TRAGEDY ON THE JERICHO ROAD: (Vs30)
Vs
30, “A Jewish man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was
attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away,
leaving him half dead.” Jerusalem is located about 2,500 feet above the sea
level, Jericho in the Jordan rift valley about 800 feet below sea level. Jericho
was a wealthy community making fertile ground for robbers.
In our world, we find a lot of good people,
but there are some simply evil people who are bent on doing evil things,
including killing others inorder to get what they want. In our story, the
robbers badly beat up this traveler, stealing everything including stripping
his clothes, “leaving him half dead.” Ancient sources employ “half dead,” for
one who was, to all appearances, dead.
Luke
doesn’t give a name of this victim, perhaps inorder to maintain his anonymity.
So, let’s simply call him a human being, a stranger or a neighbor who is in
need of help. At that moment a priest happened to be going down the same road. Let’s
see what happens.
III.
TRAIDITION CONTROLS A PRINCIPLE (Vs 31-32)
31-32, “By chance a priest came
along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the
road and passed him by. A Temple assistant (a Levite) walked over and looked at
him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.”
This
priest and Levite may have finished their duties at the temple and returning to
their homes Jericho. In those days many wealthy priests and Levites lived in
Jericho. They both happened to pass on the same way and noticed a half dead man
on the road. Instead of helping him they pass by on the other side of the road.
According to Leviticus 19:18, they were to love their neighbor’s as themselves.
But unfortunately, their tradition took precedence over the spirit of the law.
Traditionally priests and Levites became impure either by them or even their
shadow touching a dead body. So, they avoided dead bodies conveniently altogether.
IV.
HELP COMES FROM UNLIKELY SOURCES: (33-35)
Vs
33-35, “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt
compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with
olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and
took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the
innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill
runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.”
A
Jewish priest and a Levite saw the plight of one of their own community members,
yet did not stretch out a hand to help this man who was at the verge of dying.
But ironically, help came from an unlikely source, a despised and hated
Samaritan by the Jewish community. During Jesus’ time Jews and Samaritans
generally hated each other. Most Samaritans would not travel on a road largely
traveled by Jews, let alone helping someone who was half dead on the road with
the possibility of robbers still around. Yet this Samaritan’s actions are
noteworthy.
The
Samaritan saw the man in need and felt compassion. Risking his very own life he
came over to the man on the ground. He soothed his wounds by pouring oil and
wine. He bandaged him up and put him on his own donkey and took him into an
inn. Interestingly, he took care of him whole night. The next day he gave the
inn keeper two silver coins and said, take good care of him. If it costs
anymore, put it on my bill, and I will pay you on my way back.
V.
AM I A (GOOD) NEIGHBOR?
36-37
“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was
attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him
mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” At the end, Jesus puts
the smart lawyer in place by asking him a question. Which of the three would
you say was a neighbor to the stranger?
The lawyer, perhaps in an embarrassing manner said, “The one who showed
him mercy.
Then
Jesus instantly said, yes, now go and do the same. In the beginning I said, the
lawyer’s question should have been, Am I a good (neighbor)? Here in this story,
it is significant that the person Jesus commended as a neighbor was neither the
religious leader nor the lay associate but a hated foreigner, the Samaritan. Jews
viewed Samaritans as half-breeds, both physically and spiritually. Samaritans
and Jews practiced open hostility but by commending the Samaritan Jesus
asserted that love knows no national boundaries.
This
story begs us a question, “Am I a (good) Neighbor? How can we seek to be a good
neighbor in a culture where there is open hostility towards immigrants and
foreigners? We
can draw a few principles from this story. Firstly, there is no bad
neighborhood to live in, if we seek to be good neighbors. Secondly, let’s reach
out and help those who are in need, even if it means risking our lives.
Thirdly, love knows no boundaries, overcomes prejudices, and calls us to act
and not to retreat. Fourthly, being a good neighbor is a command from Jesus and
not a suggestion. Fifthly, knowing scripture is not enough, by practicing it we
live.
May
I suggest a few ways we can be a good neighbor as Christ wanted us to be in
this world? Let’s be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit to show us somebody
who is in need and step out and help that person, regardless of who that may
be. But in the meanwhile, we can use all our God given talents, and skills and
serve the people that God might send on our way.
Let’s
be good to the strangers and immigrants remembering that we too once were
immigrants. Ironically, this country is blessed by many health care workers,
aids, low paying federal workers who come from some of the countries that are
despised and hated. Let’s reach out and minister to the poor, the needy and
hurting. Remember what Jesus said, “when you did it to one of the least of
these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me” Matthew 25:40,
Therefore, let’s go out and try our best to be a Good Neighbor. Amen!
