Day 14: Who to love? Neighbours...

We all know that Jesus commanded us to love your neighbour as yourself. (Mark 12:31)  It is one of those verses that we learn and hear and can attribute to Jesus, but maybe leave it there...

When Jesus was asked to elaborate upon who our neighbours are, he answered with the story of the Good Samaritan - the one we all know about the man who got robbed on the dangerous road to Jericho and the religious types passed him by and ignored him but the Good Samaritan popped him on a donkey and looked after him.  To us this story is not nearly as controversial as it would have been to Jesus' original listeners.  To them the word "Samaritan" was not a word they wanted associated with the word "neighbour".  They viewed Samaritans as "other" - they were not the chosen nation, didn't worship right and weren't to be touched or spoken to.  Kind of like telling racist white supremacists that the only person to stop on the road and offer help was a black man...

Jesus was telling his listeners that they had to love the people they found in their world as well as just the people they chose to include in it.  And the message is still the same today.

God put us in our homes and lined up the people he wanted us to live beside.  He set us in our jobs and put the colleague in the desk next door.  He sent us to the school he picked out to become a part of that community.  He chose this town, this place for us to live for a reason - that he would be found by the people there when we start to let him use us in our neighbourhoods.

We may not have overt prejudices like the Jews had towards the Samaritans or a white supremacist has towards people of other races but there may be people within our neighbourhoods - our streets, workplaces, wider community - that we find it difficult to love.  And yet we need to not pass by on the other side...

Try to take time to read the story of the Good Samaritan today (you can find it in Luke 10:25-37).  What is God saying to you about your neighbours?  Where is your road to Jericho and do you hurry past because you feel afraid to engage?  Who are the Samaritans in your world, the people whose lifestyle choices make you feel uncomfortable and that you could never share your life or God's love with them?  Who in your street or block or estate have you never had the chance to greet with a smile?  Who do you stand nearby every day but never acknowledge or look in the eye? How can you love your neighbour as yourself?

If God is encouraging you though this story today, please do share this in the comments below...