A Good Samaritan

When we moved into Perrysburg we were very excited.  There were so many wonderful neighborhoods to choose from, and we couldn’t wait to be a part of one of them. The Bible often talks about how to be a good neighbor. One of my favorite Old Testament scholars, Walter Brueggemann, says that the goal of God was to "Organize the political economy of Israel as a neighborhood, in which each member of the community was summoned to invest in the well-being of all of the neighbors."  The Gospel reading for this Sunday redefines the neighborhood.  Instead of it being a place that surrounds your dwelling, Jesus says that our neighborhood is any place that we happen to be.  Furthermore, he says that it is our job to be neighbors of all the people we encounter, creating little neighborhoods everywhere. He illustrates neighborliness by telling a story about an unlikely hero, who we often call the Good Samaritan.  The Good Samaritan shows mercy and cares for an injured man on the side of the road, when others didn’t.  Jesus tells his listeners to “Go and do likewise.”

How can you create a little neighborhood in the places you occupy today?

How can you invest in the well-being of someone else today?

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