One of the major obstacles to showing compassion is making prejudgments
about who we think is worthy of our compassion. Jesus told a parable to answer
the question: “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29). Or, who qualifies as worthy of our neighborly acts?
Jesus told of a man who traveled on the notoriously dangerous road from
Jerusalem to Jericho. As he traveled, he fell among thieves and was robbed,
beaten, and left for dead. Religious Jews (a priest and a Levite) passed him,
but they walked by on the other side, probably for fear of being religiously
defiled. But a Samaritan came along and had unconditional compassion on the
wounded stranger.
Jesus’ audience would have gasped at this because Jews despised
Samaritans. The Samaritan could have limited or qualified his compassion
because the man was a Jew. But he did not limit his neighborly kindness to
those he thought were worthy. Instead, he saw a human being in need and
resolved to help him.
Are you
limiting your kindness to the ones you deem worthy? As followers of Jesus, let
us find ways to show neighborly kindness to all people, especially to those we
have judged as unworthy.
Our love for God is only as real as our love for our neighbor. (RBC)
