09/13/2025
Won’t you be my neighbor?
I’ve watched the world come apart for the past couple of days. It’s been going on for much longer but, the murder of Charlie Kirk has put a blinding spotlight quite a bit of our ugliness. I include myself in this. I had several posts roll through my head that I initially loved only to decide it was equally awful and that’s not who I want to be or what I really wanted to say.
Then it hit me today. I’m not smart enough to be the one to tackle the hate I’ve seen spew from all sides in this incident. So I went back to a book I believe is good for many things, including tackling hard topics, The Bible. I landed two places, first Matthew 22: 36-40. A Pharisee asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was. Jesus’ response was “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” This took me to my favorite parable The Good Samaritan in Luke 10: 25-37. Someone asked Jesus what he must do to earn eternal life. Jesus turned the question back around and asked him what he thought he needed to do. The person answered by reciting Matthew 22:36-40. Jesus told him “You have answered correctly, do this and you will live.” Still wanting more clarification, like most of us, the man questioned Jesus about who his neighbor was. Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan. In short, a man is beaten, robbed, and left by the side of the road. Two high ranking people in the Jewish culture of the day saw the man lying on the side of the road and passed him without providing any assistance. Then a Samaritan came by, a despised class at the time. He took pity on the man and went out of his way to help him. At the end of the parable Jesus asked the man, Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” And the man replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” To which Jesus replied, “Go and do likewise.”
So what’s the point in me to all of this. Charlie Kirk said many things that I thought were awful. Jesus tells me, Charlie Kirk was my neighbor. There were people blindly accusing groups they view as others of this horrific act in ways I found vile only to ultimately find out the were wrong. Jesus says, those people are also my neighbors. If you profess to believe in and follow Jesus and you’re calling people libtards or suggesting that certain groups should be removed from society in your rants. Or if from the other side you’re ranting that the world is a better place without Charlie Kirk in it or in any other way celebrating his death. You’re talking about who Jesus says is your neighbor. It’s time to go back to your Bible and, “Go and do likewise.” By showing mercy. It’s time to remember to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Unless you feel the world would be a better place without you in it or your beliefs should make you an outcast just as you’ve called for others, your words are misguided and far from the teachings of the person you profess to follow. Jesus made it pretty simple. He expects you to be a neighbor to the people in this world and show them mercy. What Jesus wasn’t concerned with was if you agreed in any way shape or form with the people you find around you.
Finally, If you’ve gotten this far, and as one post I read a while back are thinking. Your thoughts have nothing to do with me because I do not believe in or follow your faith tradition. You’re correct, my beliefs do not in any way have any bearing or control in your life. But, I’ll offer you this. I’m not a Buddhist, but I enjoy the words of several Buddhist teachers because they offer wise guidance. Maybe there’s some for you in the words I’ve shared.
