Who is my Neighbor?

From my dining room window, I heard the sirens and saw the emergency vehicles race to the intersection near my house.  This was about two weeks ago.

I was running late that morning.  Typically, I would have been at the intersection at that exact time.  And, on a typical morning, so would one of my neighbor, "Cliff", who walks his dog every morning.

There is no crosswalk at this intersection.  When the timing is perfect, as it is most mornings, I would trip the light so that Cliff can cross on a green.  But, I wasn't there that morning.

The police officers were racing to gain control of the traffic.  The paramedics were working feverishly to save the person lying in the middle of the intersection, while the firefighters were darting back and forth to the ambulance, bringing the tools and equipment.

I was in my truck and around the corner in a matter of seconds.  To my relief, Cliff and Smoky were standing off to the side.  They had witnessed the accident.

It was a young man who was riding a motorcycle that, somehow, struck a semi-trailer.  Unfortunately, the young man was pronounced dead at the scene.

I felt guilty.  I was overjoyed that it wasn't my neighbor, but I began to feel terrible knowing that this was someones son, or brother, or husband, or father.  He didn't live on my street, but he lived on someones street.

In Luke chapter 10, an expert in Jewish religious law came to test Jesus by asking Him, "What must I do to receive eternal life?"  Jesus asked, "What does the Law & Moses say?"  The lawyer responded, "You must love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength - and love your neighbor as yourself."  Jesus said, "You are right - do this and you will live."  But, the lawyer needed clarification (as they always do), so he asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" 

Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan.  A Jewish man was traveling when he was attacked by bandits.  He was stripped of his clothes and money, beaten and left for dead.  First a Jewish priest came by, but because of his social status, and rules of ceremonial law, he refused to help.  The text says that he crossed to the opposite side of the street to pass by.  Next came a Jewish temple assistant.  He stopped and looked at the guy, but offered no assistance.  Maybe he didn't want to get involved.  Maybe he didn't know what to do, or where to start.  He sounds a lot like us.  Last came a Samaritan. 

Now, you need to understand that there was a multi-century old hatred between the Jews and the Samaritans.  A Jew would be ceremonially "unclean" if he even rubbed the garment of a Samaritan.  But, in Jesus story, the Samaritan was the one who helped the Jewish guy. 

In the end, Jesus asked the lawyer, "Which one of the three was this man's neighbor?"  Obviously it was the Samaritan, but the lawyer couldn't even get himself to say it.  He answered Jesus, "The one who showed him mercy."  Jesus said, "Now you go and do the same."

Are we prepared to "go and do the same"?  Are we prepared to help someone that we would normally, never even acknowledge?  That's what Jesus has asked us to do.  And, actually, in the original Greek text, the word "go" is in the imperative sense, meaning it is a command - not a suggestion.

More and more flowers keep showing up at the intersection.  This man was loved.  I pray for his family as they go through this time of grief.  We don't know them, but they are also our neighbors.