Bible Reading: Judges 18-19; Luke 10: 25-42
Memory Verse: “But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?” Luke 10:29 (KJV)
There is a song that we used to sing in our native language in the southwest of Nigeria some years ago. It translates thus: “Whoever you have the power to assist is your neighbour, remember him. He is your neighbour certainly, he is your neighbour ; who is he? anyone you have the power to assist is indeed your neighbour, help him! “
This resonates with the parable of our Lord Jesus in our Bible reading passage of Luke 10. The man that was robbed by thieves but rescued and catered for by a Samaritan who did not know him before is his neighbour. So your neighbour is that man or woman that needs assistance and you can help in one way or the other. The assistance could be provision of clothes, food, shelter, education, money, prayer, guidance and counseling, information or job among others! He does not need to be known to you as shown by the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-35.
If you check around those that you come across daily, you will see a lot of neighbours that you can assist as a child of the most high. This is clearly stated in Galatians 6:10 KJV “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” The issue therefore is not whether the person has helped you before when you were in need but that you have opportunity to bless that person and you have the thing needed by him.
You can as well look out for those who are in need and not just wait for opportunity to come across you. If you know areas where those who may need your assistance are, you can make a deliberate effort to seek them out in order to create the opportunity to be a blessing to others. There is no point trying to justify your inaction by redefining your neighbour or pretending as if you do not know who he is like the lawyer in Luke 10:25 who asked the Lord Jesus in Luke 10:29 (KJV), “But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?”
Action Point: Seek out a neighbour and render assistance to him/her today.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero