How do you define the term neighbor?
Is it the people who live is closest proximity to your apartment or home? Those who live in your building, your neighborhood, or even your town? Is it just the people you regularly interact with? Or are the people on the periphery of those you regularly interact with included?
As evidenced, the term ‘neighbor’ suffers from a host of definitions. The significance of which is the expectation informed by said definition. In Luke 10, a religious scholar asks Jesus about the requirements to receive eternal life and it too hinges on the ever nebulous definition of neighbor:
“[Jesus] answered, “What’s written in God’s Law? How do you interpret it?”
He said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.”
”Good answer!” said Jesus. “Do it and you’ll live.”
Looking for a loophole, he asked, “And just how would you define ‘neighbor’?””
The religious scholar immediately sought what we often figuratively turn to the appendix for: the exceptions. Intimidated by the potential vastness of this ‘neighbor’ clause, he is compelled to descend into the particulars so he can know where to draw the line. The problem he runs into is that Jesus’ focus is inclusion, not exclusion.
When you consider it, we know the right thing to do 95% of the time. What causes us to falter then is not ignorance, but personally crafted and validated exceptions. When something is inconvenient or uncomfortable, we suddenly become lawyers scrutinizing text for alternate definitions or claiming ‘hardship’ in order to provide us with immunity. However, what we must remember is that our definitions will ultimately define us, and that we primarily falter when we seek to serve ourselves vice others.
For ‘neighbor’ in the sense here is people. And to illustrate that point, Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan. You’ll remember the parable goes that a man is beaten and robbed, then two fully capable religious men ignore his plight. Ultimately, a marginalized Samaritan has pity on the man and elects to assist.
““What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?”
”The one who treated him kindly,” the religion scholar responded.
Jesus said, “Go and do the same.””
The truth highlighted by the parable is that being a neighbor is not about definition but mindset. We all possess the power to be a neighbor if we would only choose to do so. Needs abound and we can be a blessing today.