Jesus had a teacher of the Law who was trying to trick
Him with a question about eternal life. Jesus got him to answer according to
Scripture. We are to love God with all we have and our neighbors as ourselves.
Then came the eternal question: Who is
your neighbor?
The answer is everyone, but sometimes we just can’t get
involved. Some of us are too busy, don’t want to get involved, or just don’t
care. People in distress need us to get involved even if they could be
described as “half-dead” in their current circumstances. We see them around us
every day – if we are willing to look.
Let’s pick up the story in Luke 10:29-37 – But he wanted to justify himself, so he
asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A
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. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and
when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a
Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But
a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he
took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds,
pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to
an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two
denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said,
‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “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.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
The truth is half-dead people still have possibilities –
they can be nursed back to health. We need to show compassion and love for our
neighbors. Amen?
