Pastor’s Pondering for July 2025 “Who is my neighbor?”

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’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”

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[c] 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 New International Version

There are many events in the year as we find in Carole’s newsletters including Rebuild Your Life month and this month of course Independence Day, but also Civil Rights Act, World Listening Day, and Global Forgiveness Day. These ones resonated with me what they mean to all of us and this parable brought to mind the lyrics of an old ‘60s folk song, “We see our neighbors and we judge them hard, well you better look around in your own backyard.” Run, Run, Run by the Chad Mitchell Trio. The words remind me I need to rebuild my life constantly on Jesus’ words: to know what it means to be free, how all people deserve their rights, to listen, to forgive and ask God to rebuild my life.

In the book of Micah 6:8 the Prophet Micah states: “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) and from Deuteronomy 10:18

“He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.” And from Zechariah 7:9-10 “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’”

As we look at ourselves, our communities and our own country it seems pretty clear our own backyards could be more aligned with what the Bible says and that to follow Jesus is to take these statements from the Prophets and Jesus’ words to heart and actions to have our lives rebuilt and “Go and do likewise.” This summer why not pray for God’s purpose for you in your life each and every day and let God surprise you as God does me over and over again in going and doing likewise.