Reflection on Luke 10:25-37

“Who is my neighbor?” 

The real answer that Jesus gives to the lawyer’s question is so much more interesting than the answer that floats around our culture.  It is not that our culture’s interpretation is a bad one.  When told the story of the Good Samaritan and asked who their neighbor is, the answer you get from both people of faith and people on the street alike in our culture is: “Everyone who needs help.” 

That is a fine answer.  That is a fine interpretation of the “Good Samaritan” story.  Everyone who needs help is our neighbor.  It does not matter if it is a black woman, a disabled person, an Asian child, or even a middle aged, straight, white dude who is beaten and bruised on the side of the road; we should help anyone as the Good Samaritan did. 

We should not walk on past like the priest and Levite. 

That is an awesome read of the story.  If only everyone considered everyone else as their neighbor, we would be so much better off as a society.

But, this morning I want to dig deeper than that common answer.  Jesus’ actual answer to the question, “Who is my neighbor?” is so much more interesting, and so much more thought provoking. 

You see, our culture is not able to see this more interesting angle on the story because we almost always assume that we are the people walking in the road.  Our culture assumes that we either stop to help or walk right on past.  Our culture almost never stops to consider that we may be the one who is bloodied and beaten on the side of the road. 

Notice, though, that the way that Jesus starts off the parable indicates that we are not the people walking on the road, rather we are the person beaten up in the ditch.  And, this changes everything when we ask, “Who is our neighbor?”

The lawyer asks Jesus, “And, who is my neighbor?” 

Jesus’ reply starts out immediately with, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho.” 

“A man” was going.  “A man,” the same as the lawyer...”a man.”  Jesus is pretty clear that we are to envision ourselves as “a man.”  And where are we going?  “Down from Jerusalem to Jericho.”  We are traveling this twisting mountain road with multiple rocky curves behind which thieves would hide and ambush those who were traveling alone and unarmed.

And, you O traveler, apparently decided to stupidly travel the treacherous road both alone and unarmed.  You should have known better, but you set out anyway. 

How many times have you known what you should have done, but through laziness, desperation, or mere haphazardness, you did not act carefully? 

I think of the two sisters that showed up in the chaplain’s office at Immanuel Hospital desperately looking for some help to buy gas, food, and, curiously, shoes.  When the two sisters had heard that their mother had gone to the hospital because of a sudden heart attack, they simply got into their car and started driving the 3 hour trip to the hospital.  They left with nothing.  The one woman had not even thought to put on her shoes.

Anyway, back to the story. 

However it happened, as you travel helplessly down that winding Jerusalem to Jericho road, you are surprised by some robbers who strip you of your nice jeans, steal your fashionable shoes, and beat you so much that you cannot even conceive of pursuing them or even getting up to call for help.

This is the part where a priest comes walking along, looks at you, and continues going. 

In the same way, a very religious fellow…you know, the type that always says, “but the Bible says…” that guy.  He walks along, sees you, and takes a wide detour on the other side of the road. 

Notice that in the Bible, both literally see you.  They actually take a look at you and decide to walk away.  They actually open their eyes, evaluate the situation, and decide that they are in no position to get involved or to offer help. 

Maybe, they feel inadequate to the task?  Maybe, they feel like this is the type of thing that will make them vulnerable?  Maybe, they have something just as important to which they must attend?  Maybe they are prejudice and do not like the color of your skin. 

Who knows why they did not stop and help.  There are a myriad of reasons why people do not help when they should.  You do not care about their reasons, all you care about is that fact that they knew about your dire situation and decided that they did not need to help you.  Because of them, you are still in the ditch, dying.

Then comes the unlikely hero; a Samaritan guy.  This guy is not your natural friend., rather, he is one of “those people.”  You know, “those people” who normally do not care about you.  The guy is one of “those people” who you would most suspect to be the one to refuse to have anything to do with you.  One of “them” stops to help. 

He bandages you up, using oil to sooth and wine to disinfect your wounds.  He puts you on his animal and pays for your recovery at an inn.

“Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" Jesus asks the lawyer.  “Who helped you as you envisioned yourself on the side of the road?” Jesus asks the guy.

 Of course, the answer is, “The one who showed him mercy.”

This is why Jesus’ answer is so much more interesting than we ever thought, because the answer is not “everyone who needs our help.”  Rather, the answer Jesus leads the lawyer to discover is, “anyone who offers help.”  Anyone who offers help is your neighbor.  Those who offer help are your brothers and sisters in the life that God creates. 

That makes me think of that undocumented guy from Mali a year ago who scaled the stacked balconies of a French apartment building in order to save a toddler who was about to fall from a balcony railing.  The guy climbed several stories like Spider-Man and saved the little kid from a death-assured fall.  He was soon after awarded French citizenship because of his bravery and because he demonstrated that he was a good neighbor.

I think of a young teenage girl held in one of those border detention centers along the US border who saw a 2 year old boy crying because he did not have his parents with him any longer.  She decided to be a neighbor and give as much love and care as her young teen self could provide.  The adults (for whatever reasons good or poor) passed on the opportunity to offer help.  However, that girl was the neighbor who showed love. 

What if you were that two year old child?  What would you want?  What would you need?

What if you were someone who was lost and needed saved?  What if Jesus came along after other people had given up on you?  What if Jesus died on the cross to save you, a wretched person on the side of the road?  What if Jesus was raised from the dead and he grabbed your arm and pulled you up out of the tomb-like ditch with him?  What if he saw you and saved your life?  Would you do the same?

“Go and do likewise,” Jesus says to the lawyer.  You want to live a true life?  You want to live a Godly life of purpose?  You want to live a life that has eternal meaning?  Go and be a good neighbor to someone in need, because, on the cross, Christ was a good neighbor to you.