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| DEVOTIONAL |
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| Year : 2017 | Volume
: 15
| Issue : 3 | Page : 260 |
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Who is my neighbor?
| Date of Web Publication | 7-Aug-2017 |
Correspondence Address:
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0973-4651.212386
How to cite this article:
. Who is my neighbor?. Curr Med Issues 2017;15:260 |
Love your neighbor as yourself. (Luke 10:27 )
One day in ancient Israel, Jesus taught his followers, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.” A man then asked him, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answered this with a story that has come to be known as the parable of the Good Samaritan.
In this story, a traveler is overcome by robbers who rob him, beat him up and leave him for dead by the road. A priest and a well-respected citizen pass by the road, but after seeing this man, continue on their own journey. A passing Samaritan (a foreigner despised by Israelites), felt pity on seeing this man wounded and bleeding, lying by the wayside. He went to the man, dressed up his wounds with oil and wine and took him to an inn. He gave orders to the inn keeper to look after the man, also giving him a substantial amount of money for this purpose.
Jesus' answer to the question, “Who is my neighbor?” was this – any person you see in dire need is our neighbor and we are asked to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. The Samaritan was on his own journey but he was moved by the need of that man. He was not only moved in his heart, but also took the next step of going to that point of need, getting his hands dirty and also spending from his own pocket to help the wounded man. He ensured that this service would continue even after he left.
The story of medical missions is littered with examples of single individuals responding to a dire need and, rather than ignoring this and going their way, these individuals spent their time, effort and money in meeting this need. Christian Medical College of Vellore was founded by Ida Scudder, who saw the great need for medical care for women and children in India and responded to that need. In doing so she spent her whole life towards this mission, dying and being buried in a land not her own, serving the people whom she had chosen to serve. She was a Good Samaritan. Father Damien, Edith Brown of Ludhiana and Dr. A.K. Tharien of Oddanchatram are some other examples of those who loved their neighbor as themselves.
Who is my neighbor, what is my response to a person or group of persons in dire need?
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