Who’s Your Neighbor?

If you haven’t heard Michael Oher’s story, you are in for a treat (ESPN video). Mr. Oher grew up homeless as 1 of 16 children and quit school to avoid being placed into foster care. A neighbor helped Mr. Oher become enrolled at a local Christian school in spite of concerns of his 0.6 GPA. Mr. Oher was walking from school in shorts and a t-shirt in the snow one day when the Tuohy family stopped and began to take him in gradually…first clothes, meals, and spending the night a few times per week…eventually leading to the Tuohy family adopting Mr. Oher. Mr. Oher blossomed in this loving environment boosting his GPA to 2.65 and being recruited to a SEC football program. Mr. Oher’s football career at Ole Miss was so successful that he was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of this year’s NFL draft.

If something like this sounds familiar, it should. Jesus provided the parable of the Good Samaritan to answer an expert in Jewish law who asked, “…who is my neighbor?” This parable shows us that offering God’s love and mercy to others is more important than rules for religion’s sake (Luke 10:29-37). Also, a lame man had 4 friends who knew he needed to meet Jesus (Mark 2:2-12). They climbed up to the roof since the house was already full and opened a hole big enough to lower their friend down to meet Jesus. Jesus healed the man’s soul in addition to giving him the ability to walk (talk about hitting the jackpot!).

Unfortunately, we will come up against naysayers when we are obedient to God’s desire for us to show His love and grace to others. Other parents at the school Mr. Oher attended asked why they would let a black man live under the same roof as their white daughter. Similarly, some people questioned Jesus for healing a man on the Sabbath (Mark 3:1-5).

Neighbors are NOT defined by location, class, or status. If God has specially and wonderfully made someone to exist, that person is of great value. He tells us that he will come look for the 1% even if 99% are still in their place (Matthew 18:12-14). So, let’s extend God’s grace and love to our neighbors regardless of the consequences from others.