Who Is My Neighbor? by Jonathan Rhoad

But who is my neighbor? When the lawyer asked Jesus this question to justify himself, I imagine he thought he knew what Jesus would say. The story he got instead must have shocked and appalled the lawyer and the crowd. Not only did it implicitly criticize two important groups of Jewish people, the hero was a hated Samaritan—a people so reviled by the Jews that Galileans would walk twice as far to get to Jerusalem just to avoid Samaria.

This Samaritan not only helped the wounded man, a man who would have spit on him rather than talk to him, but paid for his convalescence. This idea was put into practice in a very unlikely situation. In the ninth century King Alfred ruled the last of the English kingdoms, the rest having fallen to the Danes. Through ingenuity and toughness, he fought back against the brutal and dangerous invaders. He finally won a great battle, capturing the Viking king Guthrum. Guthrum was known for his cruel executions of his captured enemies, and surely expected that treatment from Alfred. Instead, Alfred offered Guthrum peace, as long as he became a Christian. By offering the hand of friendship to his enemy, Alfred brought peace to the land.

Living in a country that feels more divided than the motto E pluribus unum would have me believe, I wonder to myself, who is my neighbor? Who have I treated as the Jews treated the Samaritans rather than as Alfred treated Guthrum? Who do I see as broken that God would have me see as brokenhearted, fearful, and needing love and grace?

May God grant each of us the grace and humility to heal the wounds of division in our community, our country, His world.