The Good Neighbor

“A man from Samaria then came traveling along that road. When he saw the man, he felt sorry for him and went over to him... Then Jesus asked, ‘Which one of these three people was a real neighbor to the man who was beaten up by robbers?’ The expert in the Law of Moses answered, ‘The one who showed pity.’ Jesus said, ‘Go and do the same!’” ~ Luke 10:33, 36-37 (CEV)

Have you ever found yourself rushing from one appointment to the next, completely caught up in your own busy schedule? Most of us know what it feels like to have a packed calendar, so full that stopping to help anyone else feels like an impossible burden. When our days get crazy, it is tempting to ask where our obligation to help other people ends so our comfort can stay intact.

In the Bible, an expert asked Jesus a very similar question: "Who is my neighbor?" He wasn't really looking for people to serve; he was looking for a loophole. He wanted a clear boundary line that told him who qualified for his kindness and who he could safely ignore.

To answer him, Jesus told a story about a traveler who was beaten, robbed, and left on the side of a dangerous road. Two respected, religious leaders came down that same path. They saw the hurting man, but instead of stopping, they crossed the road and hurried on by. Their busy routines and crowded agendas choked out their mercy.

Then came a traveler from Samaria—a culture and background that people in the crowd looked down upon. Yet this outsider didn't check his watch, and he didn't look for an excuse. He stopped in his tracks, bandaged the man's wounds, gave him a ride to safety, and paid for his recovery out of his own pocket.

Jesus turned the whole conversation upside down. He showed that being a neighbor isn't about deciding who deserves our care. It is about being willing to pause our lives and show mercy to whoever is hurting right in front of us. Love doesn't ask for a loophole; it looks up, notices the need, and steps in to help.

This week, give yourself permission to let your schedule be interrupted. You could even get a bit crazy and purposefully leave some time in your schedule. When you encounter someone with an unexpected need—whether a family member who needs to talk, a coworker who is falling behind, or a neighbor asking for assistance—pause what you are doing and choose compassion over convenience.

Prayer: "God, I ask You for the courage to slow down my schedule and the open eyes to see..."