06- Who is my neighbor?
Why can't I be mean to that heathen over there?
New International Version (NIV)
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself.”
28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.
31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.
32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.
34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Here we see the parable of the Good Samaritan. The expert in the law asked Jesus for a clarification of the term “neighbor.” Jesus made it clear that the person who showed the qualities of humanity was the neighbor. In other words, the proof was in the heart, not the pedigree. We might adapt this parable to answer the OP’s question as well, which was “Who are God’s people?” The pedigree is shared by everyone, since we are all created by God. But the heart is what truly separates God’s people from those who do not yet know him. God’s children are filled with God’s love. It surrounds them, fills them, and emanates from them.
There are “neighbors” in every religion, every country, every race. There are plenty of Atheists who are better neighbors than most of their Christian friends. Some of the people fighting against democracy in the Middle East are highly moral, ethical people, who would definitely help the man left beaten and dying on the side of the road.
I can hear it now. “But they are LOST! They don’t know Christ! They hate our guts! They don’t believe like we do! Why should I treat them like my neighbor?”
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, that term “Samaritan” was not chosen at random. The Jews hated Samaritans because they didn’t believe like they did. They were considered outcasts and second class citizens, and no self-respecting Jew would be caught dead walking beside one. Jesus was making a point here. Some of these guys you’re hating on, well, you could learn a thing or two from them.
There are good people being neighbors to others everywhere. Go and do likewise.