A man is beaten by robbers and left for dead by the side of the road. Two religious men pass by at different times, but never stop to help. A third man comes by, bandages his wounds, and takes him to an inn. He asks the innkeeper to care for him until he returns, promising to pay for all expenses. The third man was a Samaritan.
Jesus ends the story by asking who was the neighbor to the man left for dead by the side of the road. Interestingly, back in Jesus’ day, Samaritans were considered anything but “good.” This hostility had existed for generations.
I believe Jesus was teaching that your neighbor is not just the person who lives next door or from your same “tribe,” political party or social group. They may not look like you, talk like you or even believe like you. Your neighbor is anyone who needs God’s love and grace, and that definition includes everyone on the planet. -Bill Winston;Fox News 11.22.21