A neighbor can be viewed as someone that lives close to you, but also as a fellowman, as the Greek word used by a lawyer in Luke 10:29 “And who is my neighbor?” as well as Webster bears out. As Jesus tells the parable of “The good Samaritan” in verses 25-39 of this chapter, a neighbor would be defined as any human being. If we go to 1 John 3:17 we see the word brother, which probably in specific refers to a Christian brother, however using the broader definition the word comes from a Greek word that has a connection with a womb, which indicates that anyone that has been born into this world whether near or remote should be considered a brother, or for the purpose of our topic, a neighbor for whom we have a responsibility! Did not God hold Cain responsible for his brother’s death in Genesis 4:9-10? How many who perish will we be responsible for because we failed to extend to them a hand of life? If we would be like Jesus we must cultivate love and compassion toward others as He did, being moved with compassion (yearning, being moved with sympathy and pity), see Matthew 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 20:34. Proverbs 17:17 says “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity” (tightness or figuratively trouble); I believe we are being told here that we should extend a helping hand to those who are cast down, broken, and weak, as in Jude 22 “on some have compassion, making a distinction.”
Did You help Him?
Selected by Rose Hill, Author unknown
Did you give him a lift? He’s a brother man,
And bearing about all the burdens he can.
Did you give him a smile? He was downcast and blue;
And the smile would have helped him battle it through.
Did you give him a word? Did you show him the road?
Or did you just let him go on with his load?
Do you know what it means to be losing the fight?
When a lift just in time might set everything right?
Were you a brother of his when the time came of need?
Did you offer to help him or didn’t you heed?
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson Co. used by permission