Who is my neighbor? This question comes up in a conversation between Jesus and a certain lawyer, who is trying to justify himself as someone who keeps the law (Luke 10:25-39).
The lawyer’s first question to Jesus is: “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus is very tactful when someone asks him trick questions. He asks them a question that reveals the answer. In this case Jesus asks the lawyer two questions: “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”
The lawyer answers, “Love God…and your neighbor as yourself.”
Jesus tells him that he has answered correctly and then says, “Do this, and you will live.”
But it is not enough for the lawyer to get an “at a boy” from Jesus for knowing the first two commandments. The lawyer wants more. He wants Jesus to justify the lawyer’s actions in choosing who is his neighbor. The lawyer pops this big question on Jesus: “And who is my neighbor?”
The significant issue is not establishing who is one’s neighbor but being a good neighbor to all.
Jesus answers with a parable. I will paraphrase the parable this way: A certain man, whom I believe was a Jew, is robbed, beaten and stripped of his clothes, left to die on the side of the road. Along comes a priest, who sees him and passes by on the other side. Afterwards, a Levite comes by, sees him and he too passes by the injured man. Then a Samaritan, who is despised by the Jews, sees the man and shows compassion by treating his wounds and taking him to a place to heal.
Then Jesus asks the lawyer, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to him?”
The lawyer says, “He who showed mercy on him.”
“Go and do likewise,” Jesus says.
Part of the beauty of the parable of the good Samaritan is the reversal of stereotypes. From a traditional standpoint, the priest and Levite are the good guys, and the Samaritan is the bad guy who does not keep in step with the Jewish laws.
However, the Samaritan knows how to treat his neighbor. The neighbor is not someone the Samaritan knows or someone of the same race. The neighbor is just someone who needs help.
The lawyer in this parable apparently cannot humble himself to say “Samaritan” and this lends credibility to the surprising reversal of stereotypes. The significant issue is not establishing who is one’s neighbor but being a good neighbor to all.
The true neighbor
Rev. Dr. Martin L. King Jr. would often quote from this parable to demonstrate that we as Christians should show compassion for those who do not look and act like us. “The good neighbor looks beyond the external accidents and discerns those inner qualities that make all men human and, therefore, brothers,” King said.
King also said, “The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige, and even his life for the welfare of others.”
Our USMB family of churches is comprised of many different tribes of people, all made by God in his image. We can say without a doubt that we will be a part of what John sees in Revelations 7:9: “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands” (NKJV).
In 2018, God gave our USMB family of churches a gift: the opportunity to embrace a group of people from DR Congo who have planted churches across America. These churches were looking for a denomination of churches to call their home. Many were a part of MB churches in Congo before coming to America. They shared that God had called them to come to America, to evangelize it for his kingdom.
Who is my neighbor?
The Central and North Carolina (now Eastern) districts began building relationships with and accepting a few churches as full partner churches. The USMB National Strategy Team put together a task force to advise districts with the onboarding process. Also, and more importantly, USMB wanted to come alongside these churches, in partnership with districts, with the necessary tools and resources to help them thrive and become self-sustaining.
The CORD program is helping us to redefine who our neighbors are as we help those who are in need.
This task force is now called CORD. The acronym for CORD defines our mission and passion for our new churches. C: Connecting immigrant churches to resources and other Congregations within our MB family; O: Organizing and assisting with establishing a stable place of worship; R: Retooling through biblical training and educational resources centered around our USMB Confession of Faith; and D: Developing pastors and key leaders proficient in shepherding a healthy church.
We are creating a movement of self-sustaining churches and leaders capable of teaching and assisting new and developing congregations. We want those who have been trained to train others; those who have received financial support to give financial support; and those who have established a community location to assist those who have not. A seed invested in godly soil will produce a harvest for God’s kingdom.
The CORD program is helping us to redefine who our neighbors are as we help those who are in need. Let us not be like the priest and the Levite. They saw a man beaten, robbed, stripped of his clothes and left to die. They saw him, but they did not help him.
The parable of the good Samaritan reminds us that people—and churches—should do more than see a need. We need to help others in need. What if an established MB church adopted one of the now 10 Congolese churches, forming a strong bond that will foster mutual respect and a more robust community of believers?
I am thankful that USMB, MB Foundation, MB churches and individuals are supporting the CORD Program. Together we can achieve more than the enemy can destroy.
I close with two passages of Scripture that compel us to continue this most important work of God.
Ecclesiastes 4:12: “And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (ESV).
Isaiah 54:2: “Enlarge the place of your tent and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes” (ESV).
I ask you: Will you and your church be the Samaritan?
Terry W. Hunt is pastor of The Life Church in Lenoir, North Carolina, and has served as the Eastern District Conference (formerly North Carolina District Conference) minister since 2005. Hunt has lived and worked in North Carolina his entire life and spent 17 of 31 years as a bivocational pastor while working as a plant manager in the furniture industry. He is very active in his community and with USMB. He and his wife, Kathy, have four daughters and four grandchildren.
