The Diminishing Value of Community: Defining 'My Neighbor'
"And who is my neighbor?" was the question the expert in the law asked Jesus. The question required an answer that shattered the limits of his perceived goodness and generosity.
Jesus replied with a parable that illustrated what caring about your neighbor means, giving rise to the expression commonly known as the Good Samaritan. The answer-which Jesus would soon reveal-would be a parable, a hard statement that called for rigorous self-examination and one that forever challenged the scope and definition of "neighbor." In the beginning of the conversation there is no tension; both he and the scholar conclude that love for God and neighbors are at the heart of everything stated in scripture. But suddenly something pricks his heart and he experiences conviction and responds in a typical way:
NIV Luke 10: 29-37
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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."
As American believers, many of us struggle with these words. Without question we are the most powerful and influential nation of the modern era, unrivaled in the myriad indices we are measured by. Yet on a personal and macro level, we have increasingly diminished community responsibility as a necessary virtue. It has been replaced by the rampant individualism we have pursued. The god of self-indulgence and his credibility is coming into question now. His vision for us must be rejected.
Think about this: When the dreams we pursue are attained, does the addiction to the pursuit of enhancing your own personal freedom and power still remain? Does the question of "what's next?" remain and drive you toward the next challenge, and are these pursuits rooted in self-enhancement or community enhancement? If so, is this the meaning of life? When did we all buy into this mission to fulfill an insatiable mindset of consumerism that seeks to increase status, influence and financial gain, no matter the cost? More often than not the cost is in terms of valued relationships.
Would a transition to less income destroy your identity? Do you make money or does money make you? There is another currency more valuable. It's the currency of trust.
The currency of trust communicates that you value character more than anything else. You don't fake it. Love for neighbor is a character trait. Valuing of others is an inescapable conclusion of scripture. Often we shove family and valued relationships toward the background. What are we communicating to those we care about? If this is true of those we know, then our approach to our neighbors is likely ice cold indifference. The culprit is the unbridled horse and its irresponsible passion for individual freedom. It will certainly lift our spirits and imaginations to dream of what we can become and new possibilities, but these dreams can also blind us to the suffering of others and their cries for opportunities, especially if we believe they will be taking ours away.
And so neighborliness is replaced by skepticism of the other. The economy demands our attention; problems demand our attention and the daily news reminds us we are a society of struggling businesses, diminishing resources, marital and family problems, and ever present security concerns. This has heightened our sense of xenophobia, or the otherness of people. In spite of this, we are instructed to "Go and do likewise."
As we scan America and look at the social decay in our society: crime, gangs, anomie, political corruption, media wars and the diminishing value of the other, we can chose to be nearsighted and insulate ourselves from the challenges, or figure out how to stem the tide of societal ills. What's the answer?
Well, the answer is -it starts with you-right where you live. We need to be the Good Texan, Kansan, Alaskan, Philadelphian, Californian-whatever "an" follows your geographic location. Be a Good Samaritan because it embodies timeless truths that are ridiculed today. This work can no longer be handed off to inept, shrinking government agencies; it is our responsibility to infuse neighborliness wherever we live. Even wealthy billionaires in our country are starting to recognize the diminishing returns of materialism and self-centeredness. They are following the philanthropic and legacy driven models of Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, pledging to give most of their wealth away.
I believe in dreams and personal freedoms. But I believe we have to be less self-centered with our dreams and freedom. I think maturity is more than dreaming about our ambitions. It's about dreaming up a better world and community. It's about a vision for our future. Shared dreams are more valuable. Start to tap into the dreams of others as well. You might find common ground and a clearer vision. Trust me; it's better than dreaming alone. We can start practicing now by taking time to see about others, even while we are on our way to another destination.
Jesus said, "Go and do likewise." The statement echoes, resonates, and haunts the consciences of those who hear it. How will you respond?
