Matthew 22:34-39
Who is my neighbor?
As a child, my worst sadness was to be
separated from my parents. Long stays at my grandparent’s farm made me homesick
to the point of fears and tears.
Our country is embroiled in an immigration
crisis. No matter our personal politics, we are stunned by measures taken by the
government to penalize those illegally crossing our borders through separation of
parents and children. The collateral damage of this action cannot be overstated
and should not be underestimated. Our history and heritage as a Christian
nation is challenged and diminished as we consider God’s Word regarding aliens
and foreigners.
“Do not exploit the foreigners who live in
your land.” Leviticus 19:33. God gives justice to orphans and widows. He shows
love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing. You too,
must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the
land of Egypt. Deuteronomy 10:18-19
Among the gospel writers, only Luke tells the
story of “the good Samaritan.” Jesus gives a text book answer to the lawyer’s
question about eternal life. Chagrined and wanting to save face and justify himself, he asks further
– “and who is my neighbor?” Luke 10:29
The Jews regarded the
Samaritans as enemies and untouchables, yet Jesus in this parable has the enemy
carrying out the law, as the injured man’s fellow Jews, even their religious
leaders have failed to offer help. A real neighbor is one who does the compassionate thing,
whenever and wherever the need arises, regardless of the deepest enmity or
antagonism. Humanitarian organization “Doctors Without Borders” is a real
neighbor - a global neighbor delivering care to those in crisis, whenever and wherever
needed.
Of the priest, the Levite and the Samaritan, which
of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands
of robbers? The expert in the law replied, “The one who
had mercy on him.”
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