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Who is My Neighbor?, August 16
Being a God Neighbor
But he ... said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
Luke 10:29
Among the Jews the question, “Who is my neighbor?” caused endless
dispute. They had no doubt as to the heathen and the Samaritans. These
were strangers and enemies. But where should the distinction be made
among the people of their own nation, and among the different classes
of society? ... This question Christ answered in the parable of the good
Samaritan. He showed that our neighbor does not mean merely one of
the church or faith to which we belong. It has no reference to race, color,
or class distinction. Our neighbor is every person who needs our help.
Our neighbor is every soul who is wounded and bruised by the adversary.
Our neighbor is every one who is the property of God.
Every one who is in suffering need is our neighbor. Every straying
son and daughter of Adam, who has been ensnared by the enemy of
souls and bound in the slavery of wrong habits that blight the God-given
manhood or womanhood, is my neighbor.
Our neighbors are not merely our associates and special friends; they
are not simply those who belong to our church, or who think as we do.
Our neighbors are the whole human family. We are to do good to all
men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. We are
to give to the world an exhibition of what it means to carry out the law
of God. We are to love God supremely and our neighbor as ourselves.
Today God gives men opportunity to show whether they love their
neighbor. He who truly loves God and his fellow man is he who shows
mercy to the destitute, the suffering, the wounded, those who are ready
to die. God calls upon every man to take up his neglected work, to seek
to restore the moral image of the Creator in humanity.
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