Go And Do Likewise

Last week I wrote about the issue of immigration titled WWJD: Immigration. Since writing this I have been troubled by the issue of immigration but also by the issues going on around the world that we, as Christians living in America, seem to care less about.  

I am still looking to answer questions on what Scriptures say about Christians protecting and providing for their own before we concern ourselves with what is going on with those that are not "our own".  From what I have found thus far, we are not to draw boarders and look out for "our own", but rather we are to love and care for everyone.

This morning I was reading from Luke chapter 10 and I was struck by an account that I have read countless times, the parable of the good Samaritan. The question at the center of this parable; "Who is my neighbor?" Now, the reason this question was asked was that the experts in the law were looking for a way to restrict those they are called to love and to care for. Isn't that what we, as Americans, try to do daily?

You see, the problem is that we have become Americans, yet we have failed to become Christians!

Many Christians in America today need to ask this question; "who is my neighbor". When we ask this question, when we wrestle with this question, when we take this question to Jesus, we would find that His answer would be much the same as it was in Luke 10. The answer to the question of who our neighbor is, then, is anyone we become aware of that has a need, anyone we access to helping with their need, and anyone we have the ability to have mercy on.

But, and I believe this is the biggest issue, the real reason we don't ask the question, "who is my neighbor", is because we already know the answer and we already know that Jesus would call us to "go and do likewise" (Luke 10:37).

“Go and do likewise.”

Go, and see the world as Jesus saw the world. Go, and see other people as Jesus saw other people. Go, and love as Jesus loved. Go, and have compassion as Jesus had compassion. Go, and have mercy as Jesus had mercy. Go, and be a neighbor. Go, and do likewise.