Be a Good Neighbor

In response to the question, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus told the parable of the good Samaritan. A man was traveling, and fell among robbers. They took his clothes, beat him, and left him half-dead. A priest was on his way down the same road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. (See Luke 10:29-32)

But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.” —Luke 10:33-37 (NASB)

If you have been stripped of your clothes, beaten and left for dead, the color of the hand that reaches out to help you, is not going to matter. Jesus calls His followers to have compassion and be the one that reaches out to the naked and wounded laying by the roadside of life. Christ followers are to pick up those who are down, clothe the naked and bandage up the wounds of the injured. They do not pass by on the other side of the road and pretend not to see the wounded. Remember, we are all traveling down the same road, called life. And we all want to journey on the path that leads to life, and life more abundantly.