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| Being a Neighbor |
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 I have two neighbors.. one to my left and one to my right. The one on the right just moved in and I think they have a new baby. The one on the left is a quiet small family (one little boy) whom we rarely see or hear. I often wonder what my neighbors lives are like.. just because in suburbs its easy to feel like it's just all about me. My yard, my fence, my dog. I live here because its where I choose to live my life.
Joe and I are noticing how the little decisions we make especially in reference to our neighbors sometimes counteract what Jesus instructs us to do. "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" This question was posed to us this week, and as textbook Christian as it seemed, the answers we discovered through Luke 10:25 - 37 surprised us.. and is really shifting our focus away from us and instead to our neighbors. Jesus (funny guy!) uses a lawyer of all people to bring back an emphasis on the law to answer the question: 10:27 And he, answering, said, Have love for the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and for your neighbour as for yourself. Just to be sure, the lawyer probes about this "neighbor" fellow.. who is he, and what does it mean to love my neighbor. In this famous story Jesus shares about a man who gets robbed, stripped, beaten. The poor guy, it's just not his day. A Levite AND priest pass him by. They're too busy to stop.. places to go, people to see. Safer to stay on the other side of the street. It was a Samaritan,.. a lowly half-breed, who sets aside himself and his plans to help. He came near to him, bandaged his wounds, put him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn. Not stopping there, the Samaritan pays for everything and then some for the next day. Really above and beyond what I would consider doing. Would i consider getting my new car all bloodied and dirty? Setting aside my activities for a day to show him mercy? Much of this story is a lesson on doing good.. helping others. It's not enough to have empathy.. What stood out this time around though was the first thing that the Samaritan did. He came near to him. He crossed the street. Went towards the man in need. Did I want to live in the right part of town so perhaps I wouldn't see the other parts.. the parts that might not look so good or feel so safe? Am I avoiding certain places forgoing the chance of even seeing my neighbor, so I might not have the chance to come near to him? These are the questions we are beginning to ask ourselves. There is another side to every street, and every town. Perhaps our neighbors are there waiting for us to come near to them.. |
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| To add a comment to "Being a Neighbor" |
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| April 20, 2007 |
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Who represents Jesus in the parable? There are a lot of interpretations of the parable; some would say that the Samaritan represents Jesus. But, we actually can say that the man lying in the ditch represents Jesus: "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." (v. 40 of Matthew 25:31-46) Properly distinguishing Law and Gospel is something that Lutherans consider very important. See here, for example (see here for more about C.F.W. Walther). My pastor wrote a magazine article about this subject and how it pertains to the Parable of the Good Samaritan that I think is worth reading: "Divine Double-Talk and the Parable of the Good Samaritan" by William Cwirla |
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| April 20, 2007 |
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| Carebear, The last paragraph you wrote probably describes many of use whether we verbally admit it or not. Thanks for the honesty. I will be praying about this myself. |
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| April 20, 2007 |
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| Glad to see that the Lord has answered our prayers in that you are back blogging stronger than ever! |
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| April 20, 2007 |
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| poignant |
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| April 21, 2007 |
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Carebear, wow, good thoughts for the morning on my end of the country! Thanks. The thought that jumps out to me is that the Samaritan does what he can, then finds someone who can do more, then comes back later to check up on the hurt person. In my mind it is perhaps sacrificial, but to the Samaritan, it was "the thing to do". Makes me pause to think of the times God has caused my path to cross a hurting person - more often a hurting soul than a hurting flesh. Am I willing to take what I have and do what is necessary? Selah. |
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| April 25, 2007 |
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| Here's what I did. My house is right next to the cluster of mailboxes that serves our whole building. I planted a garden. I can't tell you how many neighbors Joe and I have gotten to know because of the garden. Now that we know them, some have come over. One neighbor the other day said "God put me here so I could meet you" |
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| April 25, 2007 |
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| One more thing, as I planted each plant and flower, I said a prayer for each household. Kinda like a prayer scarf. I'll call prayer planting !!!! |
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| April 26, 2007 |
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Carebear, In many ways my neighbors are that Samaritan. They are the perfect neighbors, always their to lend a hand, instigate funny times, whatever is needed. The way I've seen them live their lives over the past 8 years has been a testiment to me on just what a "Cristian" walk should look like. Only they are not Christian, in fact, since they are a gay couple many of us would shun them and they feel completely unwanted by churches. Yet they still reach out, still personify love in action. It amazes me. Throughout my husband's illness they have been there every step of the way. Whether it's carrying out trash for me, picking up groceries, giving me a place away from my husband to cry, they "come near." Sadly they closed on a new house yesterday...and while they are only moving a mile or so away it feels like a great distance. A little harder to bang on the door and say "come eat!" I find myself dreading the process of getting new neighbors. I don't want to go back to having a neighbor I never see and rarely speak to. I want more! Only now more will depend on me making the steps my current neighbors did. That seems scary to me, I'm already praying God brings someone special. Virginia |
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| April 26, 2007 |
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Definitely will pray for you Virginia.. it's great to be near friends who are good samaritans to us in our times of need. Love the prayer planting Cathy.. so creative and cute! Take a picture for us sometime? :) Jam, very interesting reference you shared .."The law is the killing edge of the Word, the Gospel is its healing edge." Thanks for thinking and praying about this topic with me everyone.. I'm encouraged because God is doing something in so many church communities (and hopefully even in my own small group!) and I've beenl realizing in many ways how Jesus came near to us and cleaned us up, bandaged us, and went above and beyond in his care for us. We have an amazing Savior who gives us a very clear and simple example.. |
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| April 26, 2007 |
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The statement Carebear quoted about Law and Gospel is a metaphorical extension of the "two-edged sword" description found in Hebrews 4:12. Paul talks about two kinds of righteousness: "a righteousness of my own that comes from the law" and "that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith" (v. 9 of Philippians 3). Sin in us kills us by the ministry of the Law (Romans 7), but the Gospel brings "life and immortality to light" (v. 10 of 2 Timothy 1:8-14). See John 1:17, 2 Corinthians 3, Galatians 3 for further discussion contrasting Law and Gospel (note that the contrast of "letter" and "Spirit" in 2 Cor. 3 is not a contrast between the words of Scripture and the "spirit" of Scripture, if there could be such a thing, but rather is a contrast between the Old and New Covenants). Without understanding this, it can sound like the Scripture is speaking double-talk. "What must I do to inherit eternal life/be saved?" See in Luke 10:25-37, Luke 18:18-30, Luke 18:9-14, Acts 16:25-34 how those who approached God according to the Law only got more Law while those who approached God according to faith were justified. This is in agreement with Galatians 3:10-14: 3:10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be every one who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, and do them." 3:11 Now it is evident that no man is justified before God by the law; for "He who through faith is righteous shall live"; 3:12 but the law does not rest on faith, for "He who does them shall live by them." 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, "Cursed be every one who hangs on a tree" -- 3:14 that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Now, as Christians we still need to hear the Law for a few reasons, including as a guide for how to live a holy life for the sake of our neighbors. The parable of the Good Samaritan certainly functions as one good guide for how to care of those around us who are in need, and in an indirect way it shows how Jesus has cared for us. But, we should not confuse Law and Gospel so as to create some kind of "go-law-spel" that we try to believe and preach. |
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| April 26, 2007 |
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| I'll have Mary Ann teach me how to post a picture of my garden. I won garden of the year two years ago and 1st. runner up last year. |
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