Hatfield Church - Vicar's Notes

And who is my Neighbour Actually?

September 2009

We all know the story of the Good Samaritan which began with a loaded question from an expert in the Law, ‘And who is my neighbour?' The lawyer wanted to narrow his responsibilities, a reduction in the requirements and an easy way out. If only a few were his neighbours then only a little would be required. If only those who were like him were his neighbours, then he wouldn't have to make any compromises. If only some were his neighbours, then life would be much easier.

As much as we'd like to say, ‘Foolish lawyer!' we can't, because do we not ask the same questions? Do we not try to limit the boundaries of who our neighbour is also and therefore reducing our own responsibilities?

God's grace, compassion, forgiveness and love are so huge that they are able to cover everyone on this planet. Jesus told the people who had gathered to listen to his story to ‘Go and do what the Samaritan did, be as unlimiting in your love as God is'. But that's no good, is it? We want boundaries. We want definitions. We want to know where our responsibilities will actually stop. Does it end with our family? No? Our friends? No? Then does it end with those we know from church who are Christians? No? Then does it end with Christians in general? No? Surely God doesn't mean that we should love non-Christians, or those who aren't our friends - even those we don't actually like? - Yes?

God won't ever define the limits for our love because his love has no limits. When he calls us to follow him and his Son Jesus, he does so asking that we follow him unconditionally. He calls us to put aside human boundaries, limitations, prejudices and petty dislikes, those prejudices we've grown up with or learned over the years, because where our Christian discipleship is concerned, our neighbour is anyone who is in need - regardless of our own feelings, judgements or prejudices.

Showing compassion, love and care to those we don't particularly care for can be very demanding, often impossible! But we need to remember that we are no longer living for ourselves, but for Christ. We are no longer our own, but Christ's. The calling of every Christian is a very costly one, because we're often asked to do things we would much rather not. That sometimes means doing what the Samaritan did, loving and caring for someone who was his sworn enemy.

Can you do this? Can you love in the extreme, forgive in the extreme and sacrifice in the extreme? No?

But God can do that in us and through us if we let him live in us without limits.

With every blessing, Paul