Jesus finishes the story of the Good Samaritan with this simple thought.
Luke 10:36 “What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?” 37 “The one who treated him kindly,” the religious scholar responded. So Jesus said, “Go and do the same.”
The parable of the good samaritan is an example of sacrificial living, kindness, or, on occasion, the malice of ignoring suffering. These are good ways to engage the parable, but let’s not miss the premise. The religious scholar intends to confuse or embarrass Jesus with what he thinks is an unanswerable question. The framework of his inquiry asks who can I not serve; he is not trying to be a good neighbor.
Jesus offers a story, one of the least confusing stories he tells, and a conclusion everyone is your neighbor. I do not want to disagree with Jesus. Still, his parable does not predict the future of suburban sprawl, radical individualism, and homes designed for privacy, not community. I want to add to the thought everyone is your neighbor and that your neighbor is also very much your neighbor. Okay, that might sound obvious, but do you know your neighbor? Do you love your neighbor as much as you love yourself? Yeah, that sentiment is right there in Luke 10:27.
While everyone is your neighbor, I want to encourage you to consider God’s calling to join him in the renewal of your actual neighborhood. An Elder recently challenged me to list my neighbors three houses to the left, three to the right, and three across the street. I will give myself a B- on that exercise. He then asked me to describe their living rooms (not in a creepy looking in the window way, he was askign if we had been invited in.) C- on that one. Finally, he asked me to tell him about their stories, challenges, and needs. At that point, I went pharisee on him and said, “I mean, everyone is my neighbor, right!” Despite my deep callign to my literal neighbors, he made his point that I have miles to go.
Do you know your neighbors?
Do you know how to engage your neighbors?
Here are two simple ideas and an inviation for more dialogue on neighboring.
Won’t you be my neighbor?
- Prayer walks are a great way to begin engaging your neighbors. Take a stroll a few times a week, and be open to the Spirits leading you to pray as you walk. When you meet a neighbor, please note where they live and their first name. The next time you stroll past their house, speak a simple blessing over them.
- Hang out on your front porch. Create a space to hang out, whether it’s a happy hour or a morning cup of coffee. You will be surprised who stops by.
Neighboring is way more challenging than most people think, so don’t go it alone. 412 project offers a nine-month cohort on the art of neighboring. We have tested this content through multiple cohorts in multiple contexts. We’d love to come alongside your community and work through neighborhood engagement. Click here to contact us for more info