What My Neighbor Does Not Know

“But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” –Luke10:29

Imagine yourself confronting Jesus, God the Son taken on flesh, and attempting to justify yourself. Jesus whose face is set toward Jerusalem (Luke 9:51) to suffer and be crucified to atone for sinners listening to you accurately quote Scripture, but then attempt to exempt yourself from following what the Scripture clearly says. An expert in the Law of God attempted that one day.

Yet, then I realized it. There is something important my neighbor does not know. There is something important my neighbor has not heard. Who is my neighbor?

Jesus asked this expert in the Law of God what the Scripture says about inheriting eternal life. Love God, love your neighbor as yourself, he answered. Our Lord Jesus approved of this man’s answer (vs 28). This led the man to ask Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” But Luke gives us insight into his heart. “Desiring to justify himself.”

This pulls us back to “love your neighbor as yourself.” That’s not about learning to love yourself, but rather how you like to be treated. I want to be treated right, even gently when I’m wrong! I want to be provided for, protected, and treated well. So, to love your neighbor in this way is to look to treat others with good things.

There is this troubling insight into the human heart God exposes painfully here. “Desiring to justify himself.” The expert in the Word of God dared to ask, what kinds of people can I avoid loving and still inherit eternal life? Where is the loophole, who is MY neighbor? And what Jesus does is this: instead of looking at the kinds of people who are my neighbors, who am I that my neighbors can be loved by? Instead of looking externally, Jesus cuts to the heart of this man internally.

This leads to the Lord’s Parable of the Good Samaritan. If you have not read this parable, I encourage you to read that now. Yet, I want the Lord Jesus to examine me using His Word. Who is my neighbor is answered from the beaten man’s perspective at the end. Who proved to be this beaten man’s neighbor (vs 36)? The expert answered correctly, “the one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “You go, and do likewise.”

Did you hear the authority of Jesus’ words here? This from the Word of God which never fades in beauty or power, unlike the grass and flowers, speaks to us right now. Words of life! You go, and do likewise. This leads me back to what I said earlier. There is something important my neighbor does not know. There is something important my neighbor has not heard.

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few,” said the Lord Jesus at the beginning of this chapter. Pray to God to send laborers (vs 2). Go (vs 3). The Lord of the Harvest answers our prayers for more laborers by sending us into His fields with the gospel.

Dear Christian, who is your neighbor? Or should I ask, who is your neighbor’s neighbor? Show mercy by telling them something important your neighbor does not know nor has heard.

What an awesome privilege to know the gospel of Jesus Christ! Praise be to God for such mercy, to enjoy so great a salvation! And what an awesome privilege to be told by God, “go.” To show mercy as one shown great mercy. To tell the gospel as one who has heard and believed the gospel. Christian, there is something important your neighbor does not know and has not heard. Pray to the Lord for such laborers to tell them. Then, “go.”

Heavenly Father, You are the Lord of the Harvest. Dig Your plow blades deep into our hearts to be mercy showing, gospel preaching neighbors. Send us into Your field and bear much fruit in us for Your glory. Grant Your laborers wisdom for words our neighbors need to hear, boldness not to be silent, and mercy to show mercy by the power of the Holy Spirit. Father we ask these things as children adopted in Jesus Your Son. Amen.