Who is Our Neighbor?

Many years ago, as a scout chaplain, I delivered one of my most favorite and memorable evening messages during a worship service I was leading at summer camp.

Our camp is situated in central Massachusetts – sort of between two big rival baseball teams. One from Boston and the other from New York. And I was preaching on the parable of the good Samaritan. As I often did, I modernized the story a bit in the hopes of helping the young scouts wrap their heads around it better.

So, as my story goes, the NY team was playing the Boston team in Boston, and a NY fan was walking around the stadium when a group of unruly fans attacked him and left him for dead.

A certain coach came walking by but didn’t pay any attention to the injured fan – he had a game to prepare for.
A certain team manager also walked by him, ignoring his cries for help.
Then, a Boston fan noticed the NY fan on the ground, disheveled and in great pain. The Boston fan ran over and tended to the other fan’s injuries, helped him up, and made sure he was okay.

The story of the good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37, Jesus told is very similar.

Robbers beat up a certain man and stole all his money.
A priest walked by and refused to help him.
And, another walked by on the other side – also refusing to help him.
But a Samaritan stopped and bandaged his wounds and took him to an inn to rest and heal.

Jesus asked, “who was his neighbor?”.
The man responded, “the one who showed mercy”.
Jesus said, “Go and do likewise”.

The two greatest commandments are to, first, love God; and, second, love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

Who is our neighbor?
The one who shows mercy to us. And, likewise, the one whom we are merciful towards when they are in need.

Love and mercy.
Blessings.