Wednesday, October 27, 2021
The man wanted to
justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbour? [Followed by
the Parable of the Good Samaritan] “Now which of these three would you say was
a neighbour 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.” (Luke 10: 30 – 36,
New Living Translation)
He is getting to know his neighbours
around their new home. Recently, he decided that he needed to get know the folk
across the street. So, he dragged his dad along with him and introduced himself
to his neighbour. He is like that
wherever he goes - on walks, shopping, in parks and playgrounds - making friends
out of strangers and reaching out to others. It’s not particularly a Soble
thing to do as we Sobles tend to be shy introverts and like our privacy. It may
come more from my mother’s side as my dad was warm and friendly to all. Perhaps
his traits have found a home in Declan, not
to leave out his gregarious Great-grandma Barb and his other grandad, Ellis.
We have lived in this house for 16
years. We wave at our neighbours but I only know one by name. In fact, I know
their dogs' names better than I know their names.
In a very similar story to Luke’s
version in Mark’s Gospel, it is Jesus who cites the two greatest commandments,
the second being of equal importance to loving God: love your neighbour as
yourself. In Luke's story, the lawyer gets the words right but misses the
meaning. The man has religion but not the works of love to go along with his
creeds and dogma. He wanted to test Jesus, to see if Jesus was living up to the
lawyer’s legal standards and social codes.
Who is my neighbour? Ha! Got him!
Everyone knows the Parable of
the Good Samaritan. Two highly esteemed, religious elites go out of their way
to ignore and pass by a man who has been mugged and lying at the side of the road.
But a Samaritan - and let us nor forget Jews looked down on Samaritans and
would not associate with them – goes out of his way, not to avoid the man, but
to tend to his wounds, put him up in a hospice and pay for his stay. That, too,
is the personification of true neighbourliness.
I doubt that such an idea would
even cross the lawyer’s mind. It’s none of my business. Don’t get involved. Let
somebody else do it. It’s beneath me. I haven’t got the time. I’m too busy.
The Epistle of James sums up this
type of all-religion-no action sort. “Dear friends, do you think you’ll get
anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does
merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance,
you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good
morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and
walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that
get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous
nonsense?” (James 2:14, The Message Bible)
Love your neighbour as yourself. It means, on the one hand, to get rid
of our prejudices, criticisms, judgments, assumptions and biases and, on the
other hand, to be pro-active when we are needed and see that our neighbours,
near or far, may need some help in some way. It is to be friendly at least, compassionate
and caring at most.
It has been so easy to withdraw and seclude ourselves during this
endless pandemic. But as life begins to open up, let us open up our
neighbourliness to others. Stop. Look. Listen. Then find a way to reach out and
become a neighbour to someone else.
“For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single
sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom.” (Galatians 5:14, The Message Bible)
And a little child shall lead us. Thanks Declan. Yes, now go and do the
same!
Dale
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