Most Christians will be familiar with the Parable of the Good Samaritan told by Jesus and recorded in the Bible in Luke 10: 25-37. The parable was in response to a question “who is my neighbour?” asked by an expert in the law. There is a tendency in most of us to confine our conception of reality only on the obvious and, thereby, conclude that the parable is about the unlikely one from the lower rung of society emerging as the hero, the good person; the rich or the haves are not really good or helpful.
Could it be possible that Jesus’ point was completely different from the way we view life through our cultural lenses? Four people are mentioned by Jesus in the parable – a Priest, a Levite, a Samaritan and, of course, the man attacked by the robbers - to illustrate who a neighbour is. There is no indication, whatsoever, of them knowing each other or living in the same village/ town or neighbourhood. In Jesus’ days, Jews would not associate with the Samaritans, they would not even want to pass through Samaritan territory (John 4:9). One aspect that makes the Christian worldview distinct from any other worldview is that the good deeds we do are not a means to salvation but the outcome or demonstration of it. Perhaps, Jesus is telling us that our love for our fellow human beings should be the outcome of our love for the Lord who saved us because of His infinite love. If that is so, our definition or conception of a neighbour should not be limited only to those who live in close proximity with us or belong to the same community/ tribe for “we are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
The Priest and the Levites are the holy ones in the society, people from the upper rung whom everyone look up to in those days. They have image and reputation to protect, status to maintain. We will never know if this was what kept them from stretching out their hands to help the man in need. On the other hand, people from the lower rung of the society like the Samaritans (untouchables in those days) have no status to maintain and no reputation to protect. Hence, intimacy, closeness and sense of community tend to develop naturally among such ordinary people. Perhaps, this is the reason why helping the man in need comes naturally to the Samaritan; he was other focussed and not self-centred. When we ask the question “who is my neighbour?” we are putting ourselves at the centre of life and asking, who among the people in and around me will serve my need and, therefore, be my neighbour. By answering the question with this parable, Jesus, perhaps, is telling us to focus on the need of others, keep other people at the centre and ask the question “to whom can I be a neighbour?” instead of asking ‘who is my neighbour?’
After completing his narration of the parable, Jesus asked the expert in the law which of the three he thought was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers and he replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” In conclusion, Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.” To go and do likewise and be a neighbour to others would mean focussing on the needs of others despite our own failings and limitations. Being a neighbour to someone, therefore, is a choice we make and the action we take based on that choice, to reach out to people, to help them mature and grow to become the person God intended them to be. It must, however, be borne in mind that the choices we make, and our decisions and actions are always undergirded by love - love of God and, thence, love of people.
It was through a series unplanned incident that I met Rev. Pau and his wife in November 2000. As I look back on the years since then, the choice they made to invest in my life, to lead me and walk with me along life’s journey, I cannot help but be reminded of the words of Jesus at the end of the parable. We never lived in the same neighbourhood, though. Partnering with Elim Resource Center - the ministry God has entrusted to Rev. Pau and Lucy - is an act of supporting their hands as they stretch out to be a neighbour to many more people.
Source: https://www.elimresourcecenter.org/blog/blog-post-title-one-74335
