Was Jesus saying that anyone you come into contact with is your "neighbor" and you should..?

Was Jesus saying that anyone you come into contact with is your "neighbor" and you should love them as your self?

If so, then how does that apply in the modern world with big cities and in this electronic age where there are all types of ways to be able to communicate with people in need?

Luke 10: 28 And He said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you will live." 29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30 Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.'

36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?" 37 And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

Bruce2011-10-22T16:42:57Z

Favorite Answer

Yes. Anyone in genuine need is your neighbor. Genuine need is exemplified by a man robbed and beaten by thugs. Showing mercy is exemplified by providing first aid, carrying him on your own donkey to an inn, and supporting his recovery.

Abetting crime and dependency for your neighbor is not caring for your neighbor. Abetting illegal immigration or enabling addiction is not loving your neighbor.

In addition, your neighbor is not your brother or sister. Your brother or sister is a fellow child of God, born again in baptism. As Jesus said in Matt 25, whatever we do to the the least of our brothers or sisters, the children of God, we do for Jesus himself.

Cheers,
Bruce

?2011-10-22T15:21:00Z

Many people think the people who live in the property next to you are your neighbors. Many others think it means your fellow countryman. Jesus set the record straight. Your neighbor is the one that needs you.

Added: Here's a couple videos. The first one is a couple years old. The second one is 10 days old.

Here is a man bleeding in the streets of New York as people walk by and take cell phone pictures of him for over an hour. He had just stopped a rape and was wounded by the rapist. He ended up slowly dying on the street of those wounds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGaJrgi_SpE

The second one is very hard to watch. Ten days ago a 2 year old Chinese girl got hit by a car. She stays in the street as people walk past her. She even gets her legs run over by another car that would not stop for her.

I share the version that does not show the actual impact. Still, it is disturbing. It shows what the people did to their two year old innocent neighbor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQxjiXqBIkQ

wyliesmom2011-10-22T17:44:05Z

Yes, that is the objective. However, God knows we are human with many failings and just one of which is our inability to love our neighbor as ourselves. We will most likely find some people we just cannot abide. Only Jesus was able to love all even at the cross.

?2011-10-22T17:11:12Z

I just listened to a pod cast about the beggar at gate Beautiful every day and how Peter and John must have walked past him on many occasions. He was their neighbor but they failed to see him until this one day.

We have many neighbors but we need to look for them as well, not wait for them to contact us.

We can choose to ignore our neighbors as cults like the JW's do and just look after ourselves or we can do as Christ's disciples did and help our neighbors.

I choose to follow Christ and His teachings like in His parable of the good Samaritan, not follow the teachings of the WBTS and just tell him, sorry mate we got nothing for you, we will do nothing for you but just give you this flyer to show that Christ is a lowly Archangel and not the only begotten Son of God.

Anonymous2011-10-24T16:02:03Z

Who was the neighbour to the man? We are to love that neighbour according to this parable.
The neighbour is 'He who showed mercy' and we are to love our neighbour. Our neighbour is
the one who shows mercy on us. We are to love that one.
So here in this parable we have a Jew who is not helped by his own people. He is not helped
by a priest. He is not helped by a Levite. These were to help those in need. They did not
do this. So then who helped the Jew? Was it a fellow Jew? No, it was a Samaritan and we
know how the Jews felt (normally) about Samaritans. They were looked down upon.

So when this man gets better, and heals, what is he to do then? Keep on hating all
Samaritans, as the Jews do? Or is he to love this man who is his neighbour. For Jesus
explains that your neighbour is someone who shows mercy on you. My neighbour is
someone who shows mercy on me. I am to love that person.
I am to do likewise. I am also to love anyone who shows mercy on me in any way,
regardless of who they are, whether they are acceptable to me, in my social class.
If they help me...at all...they are now my neighbour.

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