As I write this, I’ve just walked back into my house from having the opportunity to help a new neighbor move some heavy furniture into his house.

You probably know some of the feelings I had as I walked back across the street.

Isn’t it amazing what it does for us when we help someone else?

Part of my feelings had to do with an unknown neighbor who helped at my house while we were gone last week visiting our younger daughter and her family. This neighbor went out of his or her way to be a thoughtful, kind neighbor.

I thought to myself how wonderful it is to have people around who care about you.

Jesus talked about being a good neighbor. He encouraged us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. As long as you have good neighbors (as I do), it’s really not hard to love your neighbor.

What do you do when everything is not good with your neighbor? Or, when you really don’t know your neighbor?

Jesus told us what to do in that circumstance as well.

He called on His followers to enlarge their neighborhood. He wants us to look for people to whom we can be neighbors. He wants us to care for people who can’t help us in return just as we care for those neighbors who can help us.

This truth was the teaching of the parable of the Good Samaritan. It wasn’t “Who is my neighbor?” but “To whom am I a neighbor?”

Jesus put the emphasis on who you are a neighbor to, and He wanted us to draw the circle as wide as possible.

Jesus also emphasized where our hearts are. If we help those who help us, what reward do we have? We are simply helping in order to get help.

When we help people who can’t help us in return, we are truly serving God and honoring Him. When we bless those who can’t help us in return, then we are truly blessed.

God wants to bless us, and he wants us to bless others.

To whom will you be a neighbor today?

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