For many years, Mr. Rogers regaled kids with stories about being kind and mannerly, loving people, and helping out wherever needed. His neighborhood was a wonderful place to live.
Not so for the Samaritan. His neighborhood was a place where one could get hurt, and perhaps folks would pass by and not help. Luke 10 tells this story about the man who was robbed and left for dead on the side of the road. Two religious leaders saw him but passed by on the other side of the road without helping. And then a Samaritan came by, helped the man out of the ditch, and took him to a place where he could rest and heal.
And Jesus tells us to go and do likewise.
Who is your neighbor? Maybe you live in a neighborhood where everyone knows everyone else. But many of us don't. To my discredit, I don't know my neighbors. But I do know people in other areas of life who don't know Jesus. I guess that is the answer to the question. My neighbor is anyone that I meet who needs the love of Jesus.
As we get ready for The Story in September, let's rethink who our neighbors might be. And let's pray that we all take opportunities to love those we meet enough to invite them into God's story.
- Holly Barrett
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