Wednesday, April 30, 2025
“Now which of these three would you say
was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.” (Luke 10:36, New Living
Translation)
When
we suffered through the horrific ice storm a few weeks ago here in Peterborough,
we discovered some very caring and helpful neighbours. We are not a chummy sort
of neighbour and we have not really gotten to know many of our neighbours over all
the years that we have lived here. A friendly
wave, a brief hello and that is about it. I know their dogs’ names better than
I know their names.
Yet
on that horrible Sunday morning, with the hydro out, trees down and a state of emergency
being announced, we encountered some very caring neighbours. First of all, a neighbour
from a couple of doors down came to our door to make sure we were all right and
if we needed anything. She gave us her cell number and told us to call if we
needed anything. With horror, I had watched a huge limb fall off the maple tree
beside our driveway, ending up across the hood of my brand new car (I only had
it a month). But another neighbour stopped by to check on us and offered to
remove the limb on the car after a friend of his would arrive with a chainsaw.
He, too, had some trees down. Then our son-in-law, Gary, came and took us to Whitby.
When we returned four days later, the tree limb was gone off the car. All of the
branches, debris, limbs, etc. were piled up alongside the street curb. I discovered
that a volunteer group of retired veterans were responsible for the clean-up.
There is still a lot of damage left but it was incredible to have so much
support. I don’t know how to thank everyone adequately.
I
have often read about how neighbours would rally in the face of some disaster
but it is another thing to experience it oneself. Appreciation doesn’t begin to
express our gratitude. Sometimes, you have to count on the kindness of
strangers.
Jesus
believed in and affirmed the strength of good neighbourliness. When asked about
which are the greatest commandments, the first was loving God but the second
was also critical, “The second is equally important: ‘Love your
neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” (Mark
12:31) The familiar parable of the Good Samaritan underscores the value of
helping others, no matter the inconvenience, the cost, or the bother. It is
often too easy to walk on by, avoid eye contact, leave it to somebody else, or
be too discriminatory when we see
someone who needs our help. The least likely person to help a suffering Jewish mugging
victim would be a Samaritan. They were usually bitter enemies. But Jesus had this covered, too, in his
teachings. “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate
your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”
(Matthew 5:43 - 44)
Of
course, if the Samaritan had just stopped and prayed for the fallen victim,
that wouldn’t have been much help. Faith without the deeds to back that faith
up is dead as James the epistle writer wrote. “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 -17, The Message Bible)
We’re
told that 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.’” (Luke 10: 34 -35.) Talk about going
the extra mile or giving the coat off your back.
Our
neighbours were terrific. But they also remind me that I should always pay back
their kindness by paying it forward, helping someone else, friend, stranger, alien,
enemy, everyone or anyone. We are not living in a very neighbourly society these
days. There is so much animosity, prejudice, selfishness and me-first attitudes.
We all need to get back to the basics of loving all of our neighbours as ourselves.
“For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor
as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14)
Go
on; give your neighbour a smile and a helping hand. You’ll be glad you did.
