Who is My Neighbor?

"Who is my neighbor?' Luke 10:29

I don't know how many times I have read or heard the story of the Good Samaritan,  and even seen it re-enacted in a play. When it comes up as a reading, I tend to gloss over it as I know the details so well. If we read it carefully, we will find that the story is applicable to every day life in so many ways.

It doesn't have to be a man lying on the road on our way to work or school or the mall. I'm thinking it can be our Facebook friend who is burdened with so many problems, a sick friend in need of some food delivery or book, a brother or sister from church fighting his own demons, or how about the poor who have lost their jobs in this pandemic? There are so many initiatives we can help to feed them. 

The Samaritan traveler was "moved with compassion" and approached the "victim",  poured "oil and wine" over his wounds. OIL and WINE. 

Oil is the symbol of the Holy Spirit, and we usually apply oil when we pray for healing.  How wonderful that this man had oil with him! He was just like the wise virgins in the story in Matthew 25! He was always prepared, always ready! This time it was to offer aid and comfort. But other times he would be ready with his oil to do what God wanted him to do. He can say like Jesus, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has ANOINTED me to preach the gospel, to HEAL the brokenhearted..."

Wine in the Bible is a necessity because of the scarcity of water, so it symbolizes sustenance and life and God's blessings. How wonderful that this Samaritan was  willing to share out of his need, not his excess.

Lord, I know I fall short in so many ways. But I pray that like the Samaritan traveler, I will be ever ready to help those in need with the oil and wine You have blessed me with in my life!