Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he [the lawyer] said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. Luke 10:36, 37.
Any human being who needs our sympathy and our kind offices is our neighbor. The suffering and destitute of all classes are our neighbors; and when their wants are brought to our knowledge, it is our duty to relieve them as far as possible.—Testimonies for the Church 4:226, 227.
He who loves God will not only love his fellow men, but will regard with tender compassion the creatures which God has made. When the Spirit of God is in man, it leads him to relieve rather than to create suffering.
After the Lord had laid bare the indifference and disregard to the priest and Levite toward their fellow man, He introduced the good Samaritan. He journeyed along the way, and when he saw the sufferer, he had compassion on him; for he was a doer of the law. This had been an actual occurrence, and was known to be exactly as represented. Christ ... inquired which one of the travelers had been a neighbor to him that fell among thieves.... The Samaritan, who was one of a despised people, cared for his suffering brother, and did not pass by on the other side. He treated his neighbor as he would desire to be treated were he in a similar condition.
By this parable the duty of man to his fellow man is forever settled. We are to care for every case of suffering, and to look upon ourselves as God's agents to relieve the needy to the very uttermost of our ability. We are to be laborers together with God. There are some who manifest great affection for their relatives, for their friends and favorites, who yet fail to be kind and considerate to those who need tender sympathy, who need kindness and love.
With earnest hearts, let us inquire, Who is my neighbor? Our neighbors are not merely our associates and special friends, they are not simply those who belong to our church, or who think as we do. Our neighbors are the whole human family. We are to do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. We are to give to the world an exhibition of what it means to carry out the law of God.—The Review and Herald, January 1, 1895.
Go to your neighbors one by one, and come close to them till their hearts are warmed by your unselfish interest and love. Sympathize with them, pray for them, watch for opportunities to do them good, and as you can, gather a few together and open the Word of God to their darkened minds. Keep watching, as he who must render an account for the souls of men, and make the most of the privileges that God gives you of laboring with Him in His moral vineyard.—The Review and Herald, January 1, 1895.
From Reflecting Christ - Page 229
Reflecting Christ