Tag: Good Samaritan

Who Are My Enemies?

In the Parable of the Good Samaritan (see Luke 10:25-37), an expert in the law asks Jesus, “What must I do to be saved?” Jesus, as he so often does, answers with a question of his own. “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” Of course, the expert in the law answers with confidence, and Jesus commends him for his answer. But the law expert isn’t mollified by Jesus’s affirmation. The law is clear, but it is not necessarily specific. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind.” That seems pretty clear. But the rest– “Love your neighbor as yourself”– Just who IS my neighbor?

Jesus answers with the famous parable about a man who is beaten and left for dead on the side of a dangerous road. Two religious leaders see him, but each refuses to help. Instead, a Samaritan (despised by the Jews) offers help and compassion, beyond what the law would dictate. Thus, the expert in the law must conclude that a “neighbor” is one who shows mercy and kindness to those whose path he crosses.

In another instance, Jesus talks about enemies:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:43-45 (NIV)

So, who is my enemy? If my neighbor is anyone who crosses my path, who is left to hate? Jesus IS more specific here. He commands us to pray for those who persecute us; that God causes the sun and rain (and other good and life-giving things) to happen for both the evil and the good; both the righteous and the unrighteous benefit from His mercy. God loves sinners so much that Jesus came to die for them! Jesus met a lot of needy people. He also met some nasty characters who never sought His forgiveness or His help. Yet He did not march in protest against oppression by Roman soldiers. He did not campaign to have the hypocritical Pharisees removed from their positions of power. He did not advocate stealing from the greedy tax collectors to pay for welfare programs. He allowed Himself to be arrested and even (unfairly) convicted and sentenced to death on a cross. His “enemies” were allowed to win a battle. But Jesus Christ has won the war. And when the war is over, there are no “enemies” left to fight!

There is a lot of talk today about enemies, and how they should be treated. We see enemies among our own neighbors who disagree with us politically, or who practice a different religion (or none at all). We see enemies in those who taunt us, or those who live more lavishly, or those whose position in life causes us to think of them as unfairly privileged, or unworthy of certain benefits. And, in many regions of the world, we see as enemies those who are causing war or inciting violence and damage against another nation. These are battles, indeed, but they are battles that, in God’s eyes, have already been won!

Jesus commands us to pray–even for those we may view as enemies! And we are to show mercy and love toward those who view US as the enemy! Not smug self-righteousness, or cold indifference. Not vengeful action or hateful rhetoric. Not name-calling or “cancelling,” “doxing,” or “ghosting” people. We are to pray for their well-being. We are to love them as we love ourselves!

In our own power, we cannot do this. It goes against our nature. We want to be “right.” We want to “win” our battles. We want to see justice done– NOW! We want to be able to dismiss and condemn those who are unrighteous. We want to see them pay. We want to be proved and justified. We want them to be found wanting in comparison with our own righteousness.

We do have a very real enemy– one who does not deserve our love or prayer. But it is not a person. Our enemy is Sin. Our “enemies” are godless spirits– of rebellion against God, of pride, of greed and rage and chaos. People may display behaviors and cling to false teachings; their actions may threaten us, horrify us, or disgust us. But there is a priceless soul involved– a soul who is in slavery to Sin. There is no person on earth who was not created in God’s image, or who is so far from God’s love and forgiveness that we are allowed to condemn. Therefore, there is no person for whom we cannot pray or show love.

Let me be very clear, however. There are certain actions that require us to stand up for truth and justice. Condoning dangerous, violent, unjust, evil actions– worse yet, promoting or participating in such actions in the name of kindness, empathy, “social justice,” equity, vengeance, or solidarity with a particular group–is not loving. We may defend the vulnerable, prosecute the violators of law, or work to remove ourselves from relationships that are abusive or oppressive, while still praying for our oppressors, persecutors, or self-described enemies. We may still show them forgiveness, work toward peace, and even treat them with respect without compromising our own dignity and adherence to the truth. We may (and should) continue to pray for justice. We may pray that the true enemy’s plans will be frustrated and ineffective, and that healing and righteousness will prevail.

Praying for our “enemies” is hard work. It requires us to be humble. It requires us to remember that we, too, are sinners saved by Grace, and not by our own actions or beliefs, but by God’s intervention and design. It requires us to see that our enemy is also our neighbor.

God, grant me the loving eyes to see others as You see them, and the wisdom to see my actions as others experience them.

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..And Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

How can I please God? What does He require of me? I’ve been exploring the most basic answer to this question by looking at Jesus’ answer to the related question, “What is the greatest of all the commandments?” (See Matthew 22: 34-40) Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy (6:5) as He gave His two-part answer– Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and Love your neighbor as yourself! He went on to say that ALL of the commandments and laws hang on these two concepts.

So today, I want to look closer at the last of these– Love your neighbor as yourself. In another gospel, we see that Jesus is challenged to clarify, “Who is my neighbor?” https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010%3A25-37&version=NIV When we want to justify ourselves, or narrow the letter of the law, we often stall obedience by seeking to “clarify” God’s commands. Jesus’ words are broad, but perfectly clear– Love your neighbor as yourself–love the next person you meet; the person closest to you, as if they were YOU.

This doesn’t give us room to reject anyone or exclude anyone from our love, compassion, or respect as a child of God. Nor does it give us the right to live someone else’s life, or take away their God-given free will to think and act for themselves. I have been guilty of both offenses, and I don’t think I am alone.

Two of the great mistakes we make in failing to “love our neighbor” come through fear and pride. In the story of the “Good Samaritan,” we see two examples of a priest and a Levite, who fail to show love to their fellow Jew. They act in fear– fear of being the next victim, perhaps, but also fear of being inconvenienced or pulled away from their plans and purposes, and fear of being “defiled.” How many times do I let fear keep me from reaching out? How often do I fear that people, even God, will think less of me for associating with those who need help? Yet Jesus was known for interacting with sinners, lepers, and other outcasts. How can I act differently, and please God more than His own son?

The other great mistake I have made is to “love” out of pride. Sometimes, I think I have more wisdom, or more material wealth, or greater skills, and that it is my right to “help” my neighbor in my own way and at my own convenience. I think I know how they should live, what they should do, and what they need– more than they do; sometimes even more than God knows! But I cannot love where I am not willing to be humble. This is true with God, and it is equally true with others.

That doesn’t mean that I love others best when I let them take advantage to my harm or to their own harm. And it doesn’t mean that I must agree with them completely or deny what I know to be right. But it means that I must value their well-being and worth in God’s eyes as equal to (and often greater) than my own. It makes me feel good to “fix” someone else by fixing their circumstances, or demanding that they accept my help, but their greater need may be to take control of their own circumstances and attitudes. My need to be “right” or “righteous” or “charitable” needs to take a back seat to whatever their greater need may be. I need to listen more than I speak; wait when I would rather act (or vice versa); to take direction rather than give it; and to give advice rather than orders.

The Apostle Paul spoke at length about love:

13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

1 Corinthians 13: 1-7 NIV (via biblegateway.com)

I can “care” about others; I can be generous; I can be knowledgeable; I can volunteer, and make sacrifices; I can “feel” deeply, and empathize with others– and still NOT love them. Conversely, I can disagree with them about a number of things, including their life choices, political views, and spending habits, and still love them as Christ loves them. I can love those who like me, or ignore me; those who hate me, as well as those who love me back. But I cannot do this in pride or in my own emotions and thoughts. This kind of love can only be sustained by the source of true Love– God Himself.

This is why it is so important to learn from Jesus’ example. His perfect Love casts out fear and pride, and allows us to see others (and ourselves!) in the proper perspective.

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Who Is My Neighbor?

One of the best known among the parables of Jesus is the story of the “Good Samaritan.”  Jesus tells the parable in answer to a follow-up question from a n expert in the law:


The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Luke 10:25-37 (NIV)

Jesus paints with a broad brush, here– perhaps because the law expert “wanted to justify himself.”  Our neighbor is anyone who crosses our path, engages our attention, and has a need for mercy, or help, or encouragement.
How do we apply this to prayer?  Most of us are willing to pray for those in dire need or those close to us– friends, family, and such.  But there is so much more we can do!  Prayer is powerful and mysterious–much more so than most of us realize.  If we want to pursue prayer, we need to consider how we can lift others up–including our “neighbors” who may not otherwise come to our attention.  Here are a few suggestions to try:

  • Make lists.  It’s easy to list members of our families or close friends.  Try some other lists:  co-workers;  the people who live on your block or on the floor of your apartment building.  Are you feeling really adventurous?  Dig up an old yearbook or staff directory from an old job; list all the people in local, regional, state or provincial, and federal government who directly represent you.  Lists will help you to remember to pray for people, not because you already love them or know their needs, but because God already loves them and knows their needs!
  • Find a focus–Choose a person (maybe someone who is facing chronic pain, or someone you don’t know as well as you would like, or even someone at random:  Pray earnestly for that person every day for a week– or a month!  Don’t turn it into a bludgeon (“I think you should know I’m praying for you, because I think you really need it…” In fact, you don’t need to tell the other person you are choosing to focus on them, but you may wish to ask if they would like prayer and how they would like you to pray for them).  
  • Pray for your enemies!  You may not have a long list of “enemies”, but it is likely that you know several people who are “difficult”.  Don’t pray at them or about them– pray for them.  If they have caused you pain, ask for the grace to forgive them.  (Keep asking as necessary!)  Ask the Lord to bless them, and to help you be an encouragement to them.  This is one of the most difficult things you will ever pray, but it can be life-changing.
  • Pray the calendar–write in three or four names or general prayer requests for each day of the year.  For example, on February 14, I could pray for my nephew who has a birthday, three couples I know with anniversaries that day, and for those I know who struggle with being alone on a day when others celebrate their relationships.  On February 15, I can pray for those who broke up yesterday (even if I don’t know of anyone specific), for a friend who celebrates her birthday that day, and for marriage and relationship counselors.
  • Pray the newspaper.  NOT the TV or internet news!  By this, I mean that the newspaper is organized into sections– pray for national and international news issues one day a week.  Another day, pray for local issues; weather/environment on another day, etc.  When I do this, it causes me to see God in every aspect of what is happening around me– business, government, entertainment and culture…
  • Remember that prayer is not about “being good enough.” The primary purpose of pursuing prayer is to speak to, and hear from, and to obey God. As God’s Spirit inspires you, pray for whoever, or whatever, or wherever He leads you. Using tools may make it easier to get started, but don’t make the tools an idol that distracts from the focus of communing with Our Creator.
  • There is no perfect formula for being a “Good Samaritan” in prayer.  But there is good reason to pursue ways that God can be glorified (and we can reach maturity in our walk with God) through our prayer life.
  • See more suggestions in the pages section of the blog.
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