In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus lays out an incredible story about being a neighbor to others. The premise is simple: A man is traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho, where he is beaten by robbers and left for dead. A priest sees him and passes by on the other side, and a Levite does the same thing. Finally, a Samaritan sees him, takes pity on him and tends to his needs. He bends down, pours on oil and wine, and pays for his recovery at a nearby inn.
This Samaritan had a heart for people, just like Jesus has a heart for you! Perhaps you are in the same situation. Maybe life has beaten you down, and you find yourself on a road you never thought you’d be on. Maybe it’s a sin cycle, or a tragedy that has struck, and now you feel alone.
It’s not the end. Jesus sees you. As a matter of fact, Jesus sees you because He’s LOOKING for you. He chose to come from Heaven to Earth just for you, and He’s going to begin to bind your wounds and make you whole again. Jesus will not pass you by. He is the one who is going to bend down and take care of you when no one else will. He will be your neighbor!
Not only is Jesus our neighbor, He also empowers us to be good neighbors to others in their times of difficulty too. The lawyer in the parable asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor”? The better question is, “Who can I be a good neighbor to”? If we all came together and made the decision to help those in need around us, we would change the world. We are to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. When others look over people in need, we must stop and show mercy.
Ask yourself today: Who can I be a good neighbor to?
“What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has the eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men.This is what love looks like.” – Augustine