Who do you think of when you hear the word “neighbor”? You might picture the family next door or that older couple across the street. Maybe you think about the people you work with, go to school with, socialize with, or attend church with. We mostly think of neighbors as those with whom we are familiar.
So, when we read in Scripture that you must love your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27), what does that mean? Who is our neighbor, according to the Bible?
The Good Samaritan
One of the most well-known parables Jesus taught focused on teaching His followers how to love their neighbors. The story of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10:25-37, begins with a Jewish law expert questioning Jesus to test His knowledge. The man asks Jesus, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus turned the question around on the man and asked, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” The man responds, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’” ( v. 25-27, emphasis added)
Jesus affirmed the lawyer’s answer, but he wanted more. In verse 29, he asks, “And who is my neighbor?”
In response, Jesus told a parable about a Jewish man who was robbed and left naked, injured, and stripped of all possessions on the side of the road. Two other Jews, a priest and a Levite, passed by this man and refused to help him. Why was that detail significant for Jesus’ audience?
- A priest was one of the highest members of Jewish society in Jesus’ time. All priests were from the tribe of Levi, but not all Levites were priests. Priests were male Levites who were set apart based on physical qualifications the Lord gave in the Law of Moses. They acted as mediators between God and the people, offering animal sacrifices to God to atone for the people's sins. Before Jesus came and abolished the law, this was a crucial and necessary process for God’s people to receive forgiveness of sins. Priests were highly knowledgeable in the Old Testament and were viewed as very close to God.
- Levites were members of the Hebrew tribe of Levi. God set their tribe apart to serve in the tabernacle and oversee various aspects of temple worship. Since their job involved caring for the people through facilitating worship, Jesus’ audience likely assumed that the Levite in the story would have compassion for the wounded Jew and help him.
The Jewish people listening to this parable would have been shocked by the fact that the priest and the Levite refused to help the injured Jew. However, they would have been more surprised by the character Jesus picked to help the man.
Finally, a third man passed by the injured man, but his response was different. This Samaritan man stopped, saw the injured Jew, and had compassion. He bandaged his wounds, carried him to an inn on his donkey, and cared for him. He even left money with the innkeeper so that the injured man would have his needs taken care of while he recovered. The Samaritan man certainly knew what it meant to love your neighbor.
Redefining Love Your Neighbor
Why is this story so significant to the conversation about loving your neighbor? To understand that, we need to know the history of the Samaritans and the Jews.
During Jesus’ time on earth, the Jewish people despised those living in the land of Samaria. There are several reasons for this, but the main issue was that the Samaritans did not follow all the Jewish laws, and they had many false idols that they worshipped alongside God. They also allowed Jewish criminals and other disgraced people to live amongst them. This created great strife between the Jews and Samaritans.
When we revisit the parable now with that understanding, it is even more striking to see the priest and the Levite pass the injured man. Both were Jewish men who were thought to be very godly and yet they did not help their injured Jewish neighbor.
However, a Samaritan who did not meet the traditional definition of “neighbor” to the injured man went out of his way to love him. Even though the injured man didn’t live nearby, work, or socialize in the same circles, and maybe didn’t even look like him, the Samaritan stopped anyway. He carried out the true meaning of Jesus’ command to love your neighbor.
6 Ways to Love Your Neighbor
Mark 12:30-31 says,
“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (emphasis added)
The Bible is clear that these two commandments go hand-in-hand. If you claim to love God, you must love your neighbor. But what does that look like in today’s world?
The Good Samaritan's example reminds us to be aware of those in need around us as we live our lives. If we encounter a person in need physically, emotionally, or spiritually, we should go out of our way to show them mercy and compassion, just like the Good Samaritan.
When you buy groceries, visit the park, eat out at a restaurant, or go to work, who might God have placed in your path to love as your neighbor? Ask God to open your eyes to see those around you who need His love, and you will find that the number of neighbors around you is endless.
Here are some practical ways to love your neighbor on a daily basis:
- Put away your phone in the waiting room and pray for an opportunity for a gospel conversation.
- Consider how you can use your time, talents, and treasure to bless the next homeless person you encounter.
- Volunteer at a local agency or charity that serves those in need.
- Get to know the people in your neighborhood and invite them over for a meal.
- Start a conversation with someone new when you’re in line at the store and invite them to church.
- Look for opportunities to help someone who is struggling, such as a mom with young kids or an elderly person.
If you keep your eyes open and your heart turned towards God, you will find many ways to love your neighbor through acts of kindness.
Who is My Neighbor?
Any person can be your neighbor. God created all of us in His image and sent His Son to die for each person on this planet. Every person we meet is worthy of love and care as if they were our neighbors. This is one of the most important things we can ever do on this Earth.
Are you looking for ways to serve your community? Visit our Serve Teams page to find a list of serving opportunities at Abundant Life and in the surrounding areas. Let’s be living proof of a loving God to our watching world.