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SCRIPTURE: Luke 10:25-37. “But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?” (v29 NKJV)
OBSERVATION: A well educated man asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus responded to the man correctly quoting from Deuteronomy 6:5 & Leviticus 19:18 by telling the man that by doing this he will live. Wanting to know more, and possibly testing Jesus he asked who was his neighbour? The story that follows is often read and preached on in isolation to the context of the conversation that was taking place. The story illustrates a counter cultural principle.
APPLICATION: As we journey through life we encounter many people of different cultures, races and religions. From the perspective of the Jewish man who had been robbed, beaten and left half dead, we can learn that sometimes our breakthrough comes from the least likely source. The Priest and the Levite, both religious people would have been considered as the ones to go to for help, especially the levites who were accustomed to serving the needs of other, particularly the priests. If the man could see through his beaten eyes these two men coming near, he probably expected that they would stop and help out. Yet they saw this man as a problem to avoid.
The Samaritan’s and Jew’s despised one another. A deep schism existed such that if the man saw the Samaritan coming, he would have expected him to turn the other way, cross the road, or even come and beat or rob him further. Yet this Samaritan man, despised and disrespected by the Jewish people, was moved with compassion and stopped. He didn’t just stop, look and leave, he invested in the man. He was his breakthrough, his blessing.
Often we expect that people would respond in predictable ways. We may believe that people we are comfortable with are the ones we can rely on when tragedy comes our way. If you understand this story from the Jewish man’s perspective you will recognise that those people who annoy you most, irritate you constantly, or those you may not even feel worthy of giving the time of day to, are actually the ones that God is sending your way. The people you least expect and are most uncomfortable with may hold the keys to your breakthrough. Your blessing may be found in the strangest of places.
PRAYER: Jesus, show me who my neighbours really are. Help me to see people as you see them and be willing to receive from others the words that you have given them for me. AMEN
