I recently did a small paper for one of my communications class. I was supposed to find an article of some kind that I could break down the different types of communications in relationships. I chose the story out of Luke 10 commonly known as the story of the “Good Samaritan”. Since I was evaluating it for a class it did not have a lot of spiritual tones but it did bring back to mind something. The value of being a neighbor to a stranger. The story was stimulated by the statement from Jesus to love your neighbor as yourself and then the return questions to him “Who is my neighbor”. Check the story out in Luke 10 but to just say a few thoughts:
First Jesus asks at the end of the story who was the beaten man’s neighbor. The answer was the one who showed mercy and Jesus says, “Go and to likewise”. So the overall point is saying go and take care of your fellow man, regardless of who they are and maybe even regardless of the cost to you. Second Jesus is breaking the definition of neighbor from those that we know to anybody we encounter. This seems to raise the bar of “Love your neighbor as yourself”. Jesus seems to be saying love everyone you encounter as yourself, willing to give whatever it takes to take care of them the way you would take care of yourself… Just a quick thought.
5 comments:
If what you/the bible is saying is true, what are the implications?
I think they may be very troubling for our way of life in the Christian bubble.
Not troubling, it is not so much that there are so many wrong actions. I think it is more inactions. For some this is not new. For others it just expands their ministry. For others it is a new ministry. I am not one that thinks the American church is all screwed up. I think it is in need of some leadership with expanded vision. I also know that not everyone can get to all that are in need. It is ok that some are neighbors to the poor, some are neighbors to the middle class and some are neighbors to the rich. Although the poor are close to God's heart ALL are invited to the table of christianity. I think the heart of the church is willing they just have not been told it all.
the example of Jesus and the early church was to give it all up. How do you do that and be a neighbor to the poor?
I mean "a neighbor to the rich"
That is a good question. Although they did give much up and lived in common that is not to say that all lived poorly. It is accurate to think that some rich people got saved and still kept their Jobs that made them rich. They gave a lot but probably still had a lot. They had a community to witness to that they knew that the poor didn't. One can be rich and still give to help the poor. In fact they can give more then those that are poor and can help take care of more people then a bunch of poor by themselves.
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