Wednesday Devotion: How to Be a Neighbor

Luke 10: 29, 36-37 (NIV) But (the expert in the law) wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”. . .(Jesus concluded,) “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

The relationship began with a popsicle. Eighty-year-old Lou greeted the new family by coming to their door to hand a popsicle to their four-year-old boy. "Welcome to the neighborhood!" Lou bellowed. "It's a great place to raise a family."

Lou and his wife, Mary, showed up at the family's door from time to time. They seemed to know when it had been a long day for the young mother and that dinner plans hadn't come together. "Here's a rotisserie chicken. Take the night off!", they would say.

Lou would offer to drive them to the airport to save cab fare. He would attend family parties, take pictures, develop them, and bring the photos back around.

Lou was a good neighbor.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan seems like it's about who our neighbor is, since that was the question posed to Jesus by the expert in the law. But notice that, as Jesus often did, Jesus doesn't address the question but directs the listener to a different answer. Jesus concludes by asking which person in the story was the good neighbor.

First, Jesus wants us to be good neighbors. Second, it's irrelevant to Jesus who the beneficiary neighbor is. The neighbor is anyone and everyone we encounter.

Lou wasn't a good neighbor to the young family because they struck him differently than any other family. I'm guessing Lou was the welcome wagon for the entire neighborhood and handed out many popsicles. He was a good neighbor because that was part of his character.

Let us develop character and habits that make us good neighbors. Then let us shower our neighbors with the refreshment that comes from a relationship with Christ.

I have good news! Guideposts' upcoming book, "Wrapped in His Protection," contains my essay, "The Baby is Stronger than Anyone Knows." It's available for pre-sale on major book sites before its July 15 release. Three more Guideposts books this year will contain my pieces.