WHO is my neighbor?” This question was asked by a very poor boy, named William of his Sunday-school teacher.
“Why do you wish to know?” said his teacher with a smile.
The boy replied. “Because, I read in the 10th of Luke, 27th verse, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.”
What do you find so hard in this passage?” asked the teacher.
“Alas,” replied William, “ I know I do not love God as I should, and I so often forget. When I think of His goodness, and how He cares for us every moment of our lives; gives us food an:1 clothing, and above all, gave His only begotten Son to die for us, then, then—” “Then, what, my child?”
“Well, it seems to me we are obliged to love Him, at least I feel it is my duty to love Him in return, but the second part of the verse, I do not understand, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’ “
“And, why not?” .
The boy was silent a moment then he continued; “I am going to tell you frankly, I did not know if I ought to tell, but I do want to obey God. My next door neighbor is a very bad man, he drinks and swears. His wife is often drunk, too, she quarrels with her husband frightfully, and they even send their children out to beg. Well! Am I to love these people? No, I can’t love them, even if I want to; at all events, I do not want to have anything to do with them.”
“Well, we will look into this a little closer. You think these words compel you to be intimate with these people, when the word of God tells us to keep away from bad company?”
“Certainly it does,” said William. “Can you quote me a passage?”
“Oh! yes,” said William, “we have just been learning this lately, ‘Evil communications corrupt good manners.’ I Cor. 15:33, and the other is, ‘Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil.’” Proverbs 4:1414Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. (Proverbs 4:14).
“That is correct and Scripture never contradicts itself. We are never to make companions of those who are going on in a wicked course. The Lord Jesus explains it Himself when the lawyer in Luke 10 asks the same question. The Lord tells him about the man who fell among thieves, and who stripped him of his raiment, leaving him half dead. The priest and the Levite pass by, but the Samaritan binds up his wounds, pours in oil and wine, puts him on his own beast, takes him to the inn, where He continues to care for him.
What is the answer the lawyer gives to the Lord, when He asks “Which now of these three, thinkest thou is neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?”
And he said, “He that showed mercy on him.”
Then said Jesus unto him, “Go, and do thou likewise.”
“Does not this show who you should show the kindness of a neighbor to?” asked the teacher.
“Then it is any one to whom I can show kindness and love,” replied the boy.
“Yes,” answered the teacher, “these wicked people of whom you spoke are not your neighbors because they live next door to you, but, if you could in any way show them love and kindness, you would be showing in some measure the love the Lord Jesus has shown you when He loved you and died for you. He is the only One who has fully loved His neighbor as Himself, but you would be going directly against the word of God if you sought their company, and amused yourself with them. If, on the other hand, you saw them in misery and sickness, and went to visit them, telling them of Jesus and His love, helping them in any way you could, doing as you would be done by, if in the same position then, you would be proving by your actions that you love your neighbor.”
“But I have nothing to give,” said William. “My parents are poor, and we have only just enough. How can I carry out this word?”
“My dear child,” said the teacher, “you have often heard the proverb, ‘where there is a will there is a way.’ You know the parable of the talents. One servant received only one talent, and instead of using it for the Master, he hid it. You cannot do much towards caring for the sick, feeding the hungry, or providing them clothes, because you have not the time nor the means, but you can treat all with whom you come in contact in a kind, amiable way; you can set a good example to those around you, and since you know the Lord, you can pray for those in need, but remember, it is the love of God that is the motive. Just as His love flows into your heart you will be able to show love to your neighbor. If you are in prayer, and sincere before God in heart, it will rejoice you to bring others to that God of love, who expressed His love in such a wonderful way, giving His Son to die for lost sinners. Our neighbor then is anyone whom we can serve in any way. No matter how small the service, if it is done in faith and love, it will rejoice the heart of God, so you see how much anyone can do, if the heart is filled with love for Christ. You can lead others to Him. In His sight it will be far more than giving great gifts to the poor.” Thus spoke the teacher and William seemed satisfied.
Some years passed. William had a good position in a commercial house. Though his parents were poor, they had sent him to school regularly, he also went to night school so as to get all the information he could. He had always applied himself diligently.
At one time he showed an unusual activity. As soon as he reached home, he would take his little Bible from its stand and go out, knowing it was too early for night school. His father followed him one evening, feeling sure he must have an object in view, and where do my young readers think he found him?
In one of the rooms of a very poor little cottage where a boy lay dying. William was sitting by the bedside reading the Bible to this poor, afflicted boy, who could not read for himself. He had wanted to know who was his neighbor, and now he had found hini. He had wanted to show that great love the Lord Jesus had shown to him when He gave Himself for him, and the Lord had given him an opportunity to do it. He had found in reality, “Where there is a will there is a way.” William had heard of this boy and of how much he suffered and at the same time unsaved, and that he so much feared the thought of death. William pressed by the love of Christ, hastened to go to him with the water of life, and the thirsty soul of the dying boy drank in the words of eternal life, hearing them for the first time. In his last moments he was drawn by faith to that one who says, “Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out.” “He that believeth in me though he were dead, yet shall he live.”
“Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Thus William carried out what he had learned. He made use of the talent God had given him in his feeble way.
Dear readers, if you know Jesus as your Savior, go, and do likewise. If you have not yet been washed in the blood of Christ you can know nothing of what it is to love your neighbor in this way. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved,” is the word to you and then, like William you can lead others to Him.
Messages of God’s Love 6/21/1908