God Speaking

“But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked, “And who is my neighbour?”

(Luke 10: 29)

Just recently my daughter and her husband had a poignant and strange experience. They were watching television in their apartment, which is in quite a busy part of our city surrounded by several apartment buildings. Suddenly they heard someone trying to unlock their apartment door. At first, they thought someone had come to the wrong floor or door. Looking through the security peep hole of the door, my daughter saw an old man looking confused. She didn’t recognize him as one of the occupants. She saw him try other doors and being ignored. Having pity on him, she opened her door and spoke to the man. He had no idea where he was and was unable to tell her and her husband where he lived. My son-in-law assumed the distraught man would have identity information on him and inquired if he could see the wallet, where he found an identity card with his name and address. It was on a street behind them, only a block away, so they were able to walk him home safely through the dark. Ensuring that he safely arrived within his apartment.

Big cities and high rises have made it difficult to know our neighbours. With all the people living close to each other, it is unfortunate that we have very many lonely and at-risk people, such as this distressed man.  Jesus’ command to love our neighbours is more important than ever.

“My command is this; Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15: 12)

We often assume that this is a command of the New Testament, but Jesus was reminding his disciples of God’s words to the children of Israel.

“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the Lord.”  (Leviticus 19: 18)

While Jesus was teaching, an expert in the law challenged him by asking who my neighbour is (Luke 10:  29). To which Jesus responds with the beautiful parable of “The Good Samaritan”.

We sometimes want to ask that same question ourselves and think surely Jesus doesn’t mean that crabby old lady who lives on our street, she never has a good thing to say, but yes there is no qualification as to who Jesus is asking us to love and treat with compassion.

John has a beautiful reminder in his first letter to the new believers. It has great depth of meaning to how knowing God, of his love that begins to fill us, and it is because of this we can learn to love others, even those who are not so lovable.

“No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is made complete in us.” (1 John 4: 10)