Who Is My Neighbor?

Who is my neighbor? This simple question has profound implications for how we follow God's command to love our neighbors as ourselves. If we redefine who counts as our neighbor, we can justify treating others however we please. The religious leaders of Jesus' time fell into this trap. They would say that Romans who oppressed them were not their neighbors, that Samaritans who worshiped differently were not their neighbors. But Jesus calls us to something far more radical. He teaches that our neighbors are all people, every image bearer of God, even those we consider our enemies. When Christ died on the cross, He died for us while we were still enemies with God, separated by our sin. If God showed such mercy to us in our broken condition, how can we withhold love and the good news of Jesus from those around us?

So I challenge you right now to ask yourself the right question. Not who is my neighbor, but how can I be a good neighbor to others? If there is someone you have written off, someone you have not been considering your neighbor, I urge you to pray for them. Evangelize to them. The most loving thing you can do is share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. Because Christ loved us unconditionally, we are called to love others the same way, regardless of how they have treated us or what we think of them. This is what it means to follow Jesus. This is what it means to be His disciple. Will you answer that call?