Daily Devotional for November 11, 2023
Is He Really My Neighbor?
Daniel usually loved going to science club at the library. Since he was homeschooled, it was fun meeting other kids his age and getting to learn with them. But lately, Daniel had been coming home from science club feeling down and irritated.
“Daniel, what’s going on?” Mom asked when she picked him up outside the library. “I’ve noticed that you don’t seem to be yourself after club anymore. Is something bothering you?”
“Someone is bothering me, not something!” Daniel replied in frustration. “There’s a new boy named Oliver at club who believes that the world and everything in it was accidently made by some big explosion, not by God. He talks about it all the time, and I hate it. I wish he wasn’t there!”
“That’s challenging, Dan, and I can see why you’re feeling frustrated. But do you know that Oliver is your neighbor?”
“No, he’s not!” Daniel responded. “He lives on the other side of town and goes to the big elementary school there.”
“I’m not talking about where Oliver lives, Daniel. In the Bible, Jesus taught His followers to love all people as if they were good neighbors and to show them kindness and respect. And He used a story about a Samaritan man to do it.”
“I remember that story. But I never understood what a Samaritan was or why it was important that he helped the man who got robbed.”
“In Bible times, Samaritans didn’t believe everything that God’s people, the Israelites, believed,” Mom explained. “Because of this, many of the Israelites looked down on the Samaritan people and didn’t want to have anything to do with them. Yet Jesus used a Samaritan man as an example of how to show love to people who are different from us. Like the Samaritan, we need to treat those who are different from us as neighbors because Jesus loves them so much He died for them too. Can you think of some ways you could treat Oliver like a neighbor?”
“Well, I guess I could try talking to him and asking him questions,” said Daniel.
“Exactly!” said Mom. “And who knows? Maybe you’ll have the opportunity to tell Oliver about who God is and how His creation shows His power and goodness. Let’s pray and ask God to help you be a good neighbor to Oliver.”
-Ashleigh Awosika
How about you?
Do you find it challenging to be around people who are different from you? If you know Jesus, you can be a good neighbor to all people and show them His love, no matter their backgrounds or beliefs. At His crucifixion, Jesus was able to love and pray for the very people who were hammering nails through His hands and feet. When we struggle with loving others, Jesus will help us. Trust Him to help you love everyone like He does.
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