City Life Starter

Written by Nate Warren

The Word

“25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” 27 So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” 28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” 29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ 36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Luke 10:25-37

Reflection

Let’s try a thought experiment. Several years from now, a certain person is going to heroically save your entire family from painful death, but the hero will be painfully and permanently crippled due to their efforts. You can do nothing to prevent it, and for the sake of argument, no one will believe you if you tell them about it.

Until then, what would be your attitude toward the hero? Would you think well of them? Would you loan them money if they asked? Maybe you would just write off the loan if they tried to repay you? Would you greet them warmly each time you crossed paths with them?

What if it was the person that bullied you in high school? What if it was an unrepentant registered sex offender that lives a block away from you? What if it was the politician that you least respect? Would you treat that person with kindness? Would you go out of your way to help them if they needed help? Make friends with them, if the opportunity came up? Would you defend the honor of the person if people you respect were cursing them, putting your own reputation at risk?

After telling the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus asks a rhetorical question: Which of the passing travelers was a neighbor to him who fell among thieves? In this question, Jesus implies the dying man’s neighbor was his blood-sworn enemy, the Samaritan. 

We have to imagine ourselves in the story as the robbed, dying man. His neighbor is a Samaritan. What should that mean for him? For us? 

That each and every person has the potential to be our neighbor. It’s our move.

Application

Jesus’ story puts us at a decision: Will we choose to treat those that make us cringe as neighbors, loving them as Jesus commands, or will we wait for them to treat us neighborly first?

Prayer

Father God,

May Your Spirit humble me.
Let me think, speak, and act lovingly toward those close to me, those I don’t understand, and even those that despise me.
Let me be a good neighbor to each person I interact with.
By the power of and for the glory of King Jesus,

Amen