12.5 Who Is My Neighbor?
True Neighborly Love in Action

Read the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25–37. What does this passage say in light of the prophets’ call for mercy and justice and considering the injustices that various groups of people have inflicted on “others” throughout human history?

The question posed by the legal expert in Luke 10:29 – “Who is my neighbor?” – reveals an attitude that is, unfortunately, still common today: people want to know exactly whom they are obligated to help and whom they can ignore. But Jesus does not provide a legal definition. Instead, he tells the parable of the Good Samaritan, which carries a radical message:

1. Neighborly Love Knows No Boundaries

Jesus prioritizes the heart’s attitude over religious and social boundaries. The Samaritan helps the injured man, despite the fact that Jews and Samaritans were considered enemies. Through this, Jesus makes it clear: Our neighbor is not just the one who is close to us but anyone in need—regardless of origin, status, or religion.

This parable responds to the injustices of human history:

• Exclusion, prejudice, social inequality – Jesus calls us to break down these walls.

• Ignoring the suffering of others – Like the priest and the Levite who walked past, we, too, might ask: “Do I have time?” or “Is this my responsibility?”

  But true justice means seeing and acting.

2. Jesus: The Embodiment of Justice and Mercy

Jesus didn’t just speak about justice—he lived it. In Luke 4:16–21, he quotes Isaiah 61:1–2, making it clear that he came to:
✔ Bring good news to the poor.
✔ Free the oppressed.
✔ Bring healing and restoration.

He humbled himself to identify with those who suffer. His justice is not just judicial punishment but restoration and healing.

3. Our Mission: Living Out Mercy in Action

📖 Psalm 9:9–10 & Psalm 146:7–9 show that God is the protector of the oppressed. But He wants to use us as instruments of His justice.

🔹 Whom do we help today – or do we walk past?
🔹 Do we have prejudices that prevent us from being merciful?
🔹 Do we do only the necessary – or do we live out true neighborly love?

God’s Word is clear: Our task is to serve those in need—not out of obligation, but out of love, just as Christ loved us.

True justice is not just about big speeches but about practiced, boundless mercy.

What Can We Learn from Jesus’ Life and Actions Regarding Helping Those in Need? Even though we cannot perform miracles like Jesus, how could our help seem miraculous to many suffering people?

Jesus was not just a teacher but a living example of active neighborly love. His help was not limited to certain groups—he healed the sick, comforted the outcast, forgave sinners, and gave hope to the desperate. His love knew no boundaries, and that is exactly what we can learn from him.

1. Jesus Saw the Individual – Do We?

Jesus didn’t just see the crowd but the individual and their needs:
✔ He saw blind Bartimaeus and stopped for him (Mark 10:46–52).
✔ He took time for the Samaritan woman at the well, even though others despised her (John 4:1–26).
✔ He had compassion for the hungry crowd and fed them (Matthew 14:13–21).

🔹 Lesson for us: Do we see the needs around us—or do we just walk on? Sometimes, a sincere conversation, a listening ear, or a small act of kindness can feel miraculous to someone who feels invisible.

2. Jesus Helped the Whole Person – Body, Soul, and Spirit

Jesus cared not only for people’s physical needs but also for their inner wounds. He healed illnesses, but also broken hearts:
✔ He forgave the adulterous woman and gave her a new perspective (John 8:1–11).
✔ He valued children and blessed them (Mark 10:13–16).
✔ He healed the paralyzed man both physically and spiritually (Mark 2:1–12).

🔹 Lesson for us: Sometimes, the greatest miracle is not material help but making someone feel valued. A word of encouragement, an act of acceptance, or a prayer can bring deep comfort.

3. Jesus Expected Nothing in Return – Do We Help Unconditionally?

Jesus healed people without expecting gratitude or repayment. He said:
📖 “Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)

He didn’t help to receive praise—he helped because it was in his nature.

🔹 Lesson for us: Do we help only when we expect something in return—or simply because it is the right thing to do? Unconditional love can be the greatest miracle for someone who has only experienced rejection.

How Can Our Help Be “Miraculous”?

Even if we cannot perform miracles like Jesus, we can meet people in ways that transform their lives:
✔ Practical help: Sharing food, donating clothes, visiting the lonely.
✔ Emotional support: Listening to someone, speaking words of encouragement, giving hope.
✔ Spiritual encouragement: Praying for others, showing them that God loves and does not forget them.

Often, the greatest miracle is not a supernatural healing but a person who feels seen and loved.

Because when we help as Jesus helped, we become the miracle for someone who desperately needs it.

The parable of the Good Samaritan reveals a radical truth: True neighborly love knows no boundaries. It is not limited to those we like or those from our own background—it applies to everyone in need.

1. What Does “Who Is My Neighbor?” Mean in Our Daily Lives?

Jesus makes it clear that the real question is not “Who is my neighbor?” but “Am I a neighbor to others?”

This means: Neighborly love is a decision, not just a feeling.

✔ In the family:

• Do I make time for my loved ones, or am I too busy?

• Do I forgive when someone hurts me, or do I hold onto resentment?

✔ At work / school:

• Do I notice colleagues or classmates who are ignored or excluded?

• Do I stand up for fairness and justice, or do I remain passive?

✔ In society:

• Do I help people in need, or do I walk past them?

• Do I engage in social justice, or do I ignore injustice?

🔹 Our “neighbor” is not just our friend—it is also the stranger, the helpless, the difficult person, the wounded.

2. Jesus as Our Role Model for Practical Neighborly Love

📖 “The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)

✔ He saw the individual – he didn’t overlook anyone but stopped and helped.
✔ He healed not only the body but also the heart – forgiveness, acceptance, and hope were central to his message.
✔ He helped unconditionally – he expected nothing in return but gave out of love.

🔹 Are we willing to help unconditionally, as Jesus did?

3. Neighborly Love as a Lived Faith – How Can Our Help Be “Miraculous”?

💛 Practical help: A meal, a visit, a smile—small gestures that make a big impact.
💛 Emotional support: Listening, showing compassion, not forgetting the lonely.
💛 Spiritual encouragement: Praying for someone, offering words of hope.

Because true justice is not just in words—it is in lived-out love.

👉 When we help as Jesus helped, we become the miracle for someone who desperately needs it.

True neighborly love begins when we stop asking, “Who is my neighbor?” and instead become a neighbor ourselves.           

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