Philippians 1:12 - Who is My Neighbor?

Todaywe are continuing to look at Philippians 1:12.Icould not help but think yesterday, as we were finishing up the chat on thisverse, about the story of the Good Samaritan. You know that story in Lukechapter 10, where a man—a lawyer—asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” TheLord had just spoken to him about the great commandment: “To love the Lordyour God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. Thenthe second commandment is of equal importance: to love your neighbor asyourself.” So the lawyer asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Then the Lord toldthe parable—the story of the Good Samaritan. Aman had gone down from Jerusalem to Jericho, to gamble or to pursue whateverworldly and ungodly desires drew him away from the holy city. He was going downto a place that was not good. Along the way, he was beaten by thieves, who tookeverything he had and left him on the side of the road half dead. You rememberhow a priest and a Levite came by, and in essence said, “What is mine is mine,and I am going to keep it. I am not going to share it with you.” But finally,this Good Samaritan came by, and he took what he had and helped the man. Youknow the story. Jesus said this man was the one who helped his neighbor. Jesuswas answering the question, “Who is my neighbor?” Here is the answer to thelawyer’s question: Your neighbor is whoever is closest to you with a need. Nowthink about that—whoever is closest to you with a need. You may be thinking,“Everyone around me seems to have it all together.” But my friend, if thosearound you do not have Jesus Christ in their heart, they have the greatest needanyone could have in life. That is the need to know Jesus Christ, to hear thegospel, to be lifted out of a life of brokenness and sin and brought to asaving knowledge of Him. Yourneighbor is the closest person to you in need. Sometimes it might be the guardyou are chained to. He may be mistreating you, but he has needs in his life—andhe needs Jesus. My friend, I do not care what the circumstances may be or whereyou find yourself in life—who is the neighbor next door to you? I remember alady who had a neighbor next door, and they were constantly fighting overthings like who was mowing whose grass and other small matters. She finallywent to the preacher and said, “I just cannot take it anymore. I am trying tobe a good Christian. I have even tried to cut his grass, and it is just notworking out very well. I have used up all my Christianity praying for him. Icannot take anymore.” Myfriend, maybe you feel like that. But that may be the very opportunity God isgiving you to truly show the love of God to someone who is veryunlovable—someone who is very unkind. That person next to you, who may bedisplaying the worst attitudes, may actually be the one crying out for help theloudest. Weshould be like the Good Samaritan, who took that poor, broken man out of theditch, put him on his own donkey, took him to an inn, paid his bills, and said,“I will come back and pay the rest—just let me know what it costs.” That issomeone willing to give up time, resources, energy—whatever it takes—to helpthe person closest to them in need, even when they do not know them. But myfriend, you come to know them when you show them you care and tell them aboutJesus. SoI want to encourage you, be like the Good Samaritan. Look for the neighborclosest to you—anyone at work, at the grocery store, at the gas station,wherever it may be. In the most unlikely circumstances—even in prison—you mayfind that person who is waiting for you to tell them about Jesus. I trust that,as Paul said, this is happening for the furtherance of the gospel. And we needto understand that everything in our lives, God is using to guide our steps forthe furtherance of the gospel. May the Lord help us to be alert to that.