Jesus, Who is My Neighbor Today?
I often wonder what Jesus’ words would be if he came to our culture, in our time. Perhaps this:
One time a Bible scholar stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to receive eternal life?”
“What is written in the Bible?” he replied? “How do you read it?”
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.’”
“You’re correct,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you’ll live.”
But wanting to justify himself he asked Jesus, “And just who is my neighbor?”
Jesus answered with a story:
“A man was walking when some muggers got a hold of him. Stripping him naked, they took all he had, beat him just shy of death and left him for dead.
“A Pastor came and when he saw the beaten man, he crossed the street to avoid him.
“So too, a Church Elder, when he came to the beaten man, crossed the street avoiding him.
“But a Muslim, as he traveled, came to where the beaten man was; and when he saw him he felt compassion for him. He approached him and treated his wounds. He brought him to the hospital and stayed with him for the night. Leaving the next day, he gave the hospital his information and some money, saying, ‘Take care of him. I need to go out of town. Send me the bill and when I return I will pay you for his complete treatment.’
“Of these three men, who was a neighbor to the man who was left for dead by thieves?”
The Biblical expert said, “The one who showed mercy to him.”
Jesus said, “Then go and follow his example.”
For us, perhaps the Bible’s header for Jesus’ story would read: The Good Muslim.
INSPIRATIONAL SOURCE: Gospel of Luke, The Parable of the Good Samaritan
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