Who’s Your Neighbor?
By George Bedlion, Garden City Church in Tacoma
Questions That Stick
Hey friends, have you ever noticed how life’s deepest questions sneak up on you? Who really counts as "my neighbor" in a world pulling us every which way? I’ve been chewing on that lately, and it brought me back to a wild moment in Luke 10 that I can’t shake. It starts with a legal expert testing Jesus, and trust me, it’s way more fun than it sounds.
The Showdown: A Legal Expert vs. Jesus
So picture it: Jesus is teaching, healing, flipping the world upside down with love, and this legal expert stands up, ready for a theology showdown. "Teacher," he says, "what must I do to gain eternal life?" Big question, right? Jesus, cool as ever, flips it back: "What’s written in the law? How do you interpret it?" The guy’s ready. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, being, strength, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus nods. "Spot on. Do that, and you’ll live." Boom. Fight over. Except the expert can’t let it go. "And who is my neighbor?" he presses, probably thinking he’s got Jesus cornered.
The Story: Mercy on the Road
But Jesus doesn’t just answer. He tells a story, because that’s how He rolls. A man gets jumped on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, left half-dead. A priest walks by, crosses the road. A Levite does the same. Then a Samaritan, someone the crowd would’ve despised, stops. He bandages the guy, puts him on his donkey, pays for his care at an inn. Jesus turns to the expert: "So, who was the neighbor?" The guy mumbles, "The one who showed mercy." Jesus smiles. "Go and do likewise." I love that. Jesus doesn’t argue or lecture. He paints a picture that cracks open the guy’s world, and ours too. Who’s my neighbor? Not just the people I like, but the ones I’d rather avoid. The ones who need mercy, even if they’re "supposed" to be my enemy. That’s Jesus as the interpreter, showing us what love looks like when we’d rather draw lines.
The Cue: Who Shapes Your View?
Here’s the thing: we’re wired to take cues from others on how to see the world. I saw it this summer with my nephew Owen, two years old and fearless. He’d slam into something, fall hard, and look to my sister Katie. She’d cheer, "You did it!" and we’d all clap like he’d won a medal. He’d laugh and run off, totally fine. That’s SIP theory, how we learn to process life from the voices around us. So who’s interpreting your world? Pundits? Politics? That loud friend who’s always got an opinion? I get it, there’s a lot of noise out there. But for me, Jesus earns my trust more than any of them. He doesn’t just talk love, He lives it, even for His enemies.
The Translator: Jesus Makes It Clear
Years ago, I got stuck in Norway over Christmas, surrounded by folks I couldn’t understand. My buddy translated their wild names, Thunder Bear, Slow Walking Beef, and mine, Captain America. It was a lifeline, helping me see what was happening. Jesus does that for us. In Luke 24, He walks with two heartbroken disciples, reinterpreting their despair into hope, breaking bread until their hearts burn with recognition. He’s the interpreter we need, especially now, when the world feels shaky and divided.
The Nudge: Pull Him Close
So here’s my nudge for us at Garden City: let’s pull Jesus in close. Not as a weapon for our agendas, but as the voice that guides us through the mess. Who are you listening to? Is it healthy, loving, Jesusy? Bring your questions, your hurts, your hopes to Him. He’ll show us who our neighbor is and how to love them, no matter what. That’s the kind of community I want us to be, centered on Him, growing together.
With love,
George