Seek Goodness With Others, Not At Their Expense

​The world often debates who should be included.

God never did.

Or does.

Human once asked God, you say if I love my neighbor, I will have life. But who exactly, almighty God, is my neighbor?

God answered with a story. The story goes like this:

“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

God asked, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

Human said, "The one who had mercy on him."

God responded, "Go and do likewise."

The priest and the Levite, in all their religious and legal and political leanings as humans, found reason to believe this man on the side of the road didn't fit the definition of neighbor.

The Samaritan, an outsider whom the Jews would normally despise, only saw a struggling human being. That was all the Samaritan needed to see, that was all the Samaritan needed to process, that was all the Samaritan needed to know to show mercy.

The Samaritan didn't need to know where the man was from, how he got there, or if it was a good use of his resources to help the man.

All he knew was there was another human being in front of him who needed help, so he helped.

All he knew was "Go and do likewise."

And really, there's not much more than that to know.

At least not when it comes to God.

And the gift of everlasting life.