I'm sure that many of you have heard the term 'Love your neighbour as yourself' -  but who is your neighbour? 

When I mentioned 'neighbour' you probably thought of the person living next door to you or across the road from you, and you're not wrong – they are your neighbour. But Jesus refers to neighbours on a much greater scale than just the person living next door to you.

Jesus refers to our neighbours as everyone. 

Having neighbours is so important to Jesus that when asked in Matthew 22:37-39 what the greatest commandment is, His response is “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself." 

A story in the Bible which reflection on the behavior of someone loving their neighbour is the Parable of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10:25-37.  

"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. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 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. 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."

The Samaritan was known to the man beaten up, he had no obligation to help him but yet he chose to be a good neighbour. He chose to be a neighbour who helped the person in need.  

Our neighbour is anyone that Jesus places in our path, anyone that we can love, help and serve.  

How can you love your neighbour this week?  

Blessings,  

Pr Tiana