Who is my neighbor?

Monday, May 25, 2020. The internet exploded with a viral video of an African American man lying on the ground, hands cuffed behind his back, a police officer with his knee on his neck, and the man saying “I can’t breathe.” I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. This man was begging for his life, and the man killing him looked as though it really didn’t matter. Worse yet, three other police officers not only witnessed the killing but did nothing to preserve the life of another human being. He cried for his mother and I heard Mr. Floyd say “I’m through.” He probably knew that he would die on that street. What an image. As the nation awakened to the horror, people all over the country began to protest. Please understand that no pastor condones the rioting and looting that accompanied the protests, and neither does the family of Mr. George Floyd. This tragedy ripped the bandage off a wound not yet healed. Our nation is increasingly divided, racism is still an issue. Today, Jesus tells us a parable (Luke 10:30-37) that addresses the issue of how to treat people. Parables are stories (that the hearer would understand) that reveal a previously hidden mystery of the kingdom of God. In this parable, a man was robbed and left half-dead by the roadside.

The Religious Rejection

The first to pass by was a priest. He was the religious representative. He ministered to God and served the people. It was his job to share the word of God with the people and to explain God’s principles to man. He should have been concerned. Maybe he was afraid, maybe he didn’t want to get involved. Maybe he just did not care. The Apostle John says that love is of God and God is love, yet the representative of God did not demonstrate love. Today the people of God cannot remain silent when we see evil. When we see injustice, when we see inhumanity, we must speak up.

The Family Failure

The man was Jewish. Jesus makes sure that the hearers understand the ethnicity of the man. He is Jewish. Jesus is making a point. The first passerby neglected his religious obligation to be concerned about his brother. The second was a Levite. This man should have been concerned because of his relationship. The tragedy that has plagued this nation for hundreds of years is (from my perspective getting worse). It is not just a racial problem anymore, it is a crisis. Like the priest and the Levite, far too many are content to watch injustice and refuse to get involved. The church should be on the front line, fighting for justice, fighting for equality, fighting for humanity.

Finally

Jesus used a Samaritan (the most despised type of person to Jews). He intervened, helped the man, and took responsibility for the man. The church, the people of God, must see every man regardless of race, religion or creed as our neighbor. We are all part of the same race, the human race. After the funeral, after the protests, remember I’m still your neighbor.