Luke 10:29

Luke 10:29 says, But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?  The lawyer, still trying to get Jesus to say something that he could use against Him, asked who his neighbor was when it was determined that God expects us to love our neighbor as ourself.  People are still trying to make Jesus look bad today by twisting or mistnterpting His words.  Verse thirty adds, And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.  Jesus did not answer the man's question directly, but used it as a teaching opportunity.  Jesus said a man went from Jerusalem to Jerico and thieves stripped him of his clothes, wounded him, and went away leaving him in a ditch.  We still hear of much the same thing happening too often today.  Verse thirty-one continues, And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  A priest, a man who was supposed to represent God, came that way, and didn't even cross the road to check on the man.  He may have felt that he was too busy doing God's work to be bothered, and we need too be careful that we don't get so caught up in religious activities that we don't have time to help others.  Verse thirty-two states, And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.  A Levite, another man of God at least in name, came along, went over and looked at the man, then went on his way on the other side.  Looking on people in need and doing nothing to help them is never enough for us as followers of Christ to do.  Verse thirty-three adds, But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,   Jesus said a Samaritan, someone the Jews would have nothing to do with, came along and had compassion on the man.  Sadly, there are people that we would have nothing to do with as Christians today who have more compassion on those in need than we have as Christians.  Verse thirty-four continues, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  The Samaritan went out of his way, and at expense to himself, helped the man.  He treated the man's wounds, set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn.  I would assume that the man had been riding his beast, and now he had to walk.  We should be willing to go out of our way to help others, even if it costs us to do so.  Verse thirty-five concludes,  And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.  The next day, the Samaritan made arrangements for the continued care of the man until he was well.  Sometimes, we may need to go beyond just meeting the immediate physical needs of those that we help, and be willing to make sure that they can get back on their feet before we feel we have done enough.  Verse thirty-six asks, Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?  Jesus then asked the lawyer which of these three was a neighbor to the man who had fallen among thieves.  The question of who was his neighbor was the man's original question, and now Jesus was going to allow him to answer it.  At times, God may allow us to answer our own spiritual questions, but as followers of Christ, we will always have to guidance of the Holy Spirit available.  Verse thirty-seven answers, And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.  The lawyer had very little way to avoid answering the question without saying the one who helped the man, who was the Samaritan, was the neighbor.  Then, Jesus told the lawyer to go and do likewise.  We don't need to ask questions to limit who we help today, but simply need to help those that we come into contact with in any way that God leads us to do.