Who Is My Neighbor?

  And the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart” (Zechariah 7:8-10).

Hey Gang:  The Bride-of-my-youth has been re-reading a Daily Guidepost Devotional from 2005 and, periodically, she leaves one on my desk that she knows will ring my bell.  Such was the one for August 24, 2005 written by John Sherrill.  John and his wife, Elizabeth were known throughout the Christian world as teachers and writers, having co-authored a number of best- selling books, including God’s Smuggler with Brother Andrew.

He told of several experiences in his life, one good and one not so good that added insight into his life.   The good, he told of hiking in the Catskill mountains and noticed that where the turf was rough and had been disturbed the wild flowers grew so much better than where the land was smooth and grass covered.  It confirmed in his heart that even when days are filled with strife, if we look we can see God’s beauty all around us. 

In the not so good experience he told of his first day in Junior High School. Three, rather bullish lads, picked him up and set him on the water fountain and turned it on and then followed him through the school telling all in ear shot that “He had wet his drawers”. 

As I read of his experience, it brought back memories of several incidents that I endured as an elementary kid when I, too, went through the thrashing machine of the local bully-club.  It matters not what those thrashings were for, there is a far greater story that needs to take up space and time in this Morning Message.

The question, “Who is my neighbor?” is a great question that I fear not too many folks spend much time pondering.  Jesus gave us no dissertation that answered the question of “Who is my neighbor?” but, answered the question presented by the lawyer with a story.  As per all of His stories, it was a simple, understandable story but had mega implications behind it.

The story got the lawyers attention because it was framed in familiar territory for him.  The story, which we know as The Good Samaritan, was a situation that he knew well.   On several of our trips to Israel we visited the very area that is referred to in this story.  As a matter of fact, on one trip we visited a very special spot, on the road to Jericho, on a Sunday morning, and had devotions while sitting on some of those rocks that provided hiding placed for robbers and persons who wanted to do you in. 

You will never guess the subject of his devotional teaching, “Right, the Good Samaritan”, a lesson I had heard taught many times by various teachers, but this time there was a profound difference – I was there.  We were there in the midst of the story and the setting remains etched clearly in my mind. 

Well, this is going to take longer than I anticipated so will close this for today and pick it up in the next Morning Message.  It will give you a chance to read the account of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:30-35, a few times and get a good understanding of the drift of what Jesus was trying to get the lawyer to understand.  Keep in mind, Jesus’ response was to the lawyer’s question, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life”.   Also, keep in mind, the lawyer’s intent in asking the question was to try and trap Jesus (verse 25).

While reading the account in Luke, ask yourself the question, “If you were on your way to some special event and you found a person lying by the road, would you be like the Priest, a Levite or a Samaritan?

Blessings,

 Gramps