Episode 898
Redefining Neighbor: A Profound Reflection on Luke 10:25-28
The "Daily Bible Refresh" is presented each day by Rev. Dr. Brad Miller who has a goal of speaking a bit of the bible into two million ears (one million people) in three years (2025-2028).
He is the author of "The A, B, C-1,2,3 Bible Study Guide" Free to you by clicking HERE.
Brad served as a local church pastor for forty years and has a background in radio and podcasting. Moreover, he is a life-long student of The Bible.
He believes in the words of Jesus that “scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21)
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The discourse surrounding Luke 10:25-28 presents a rich tapestry of theological reflection on the nature of love and community, as articulated through Jesus' interaction with a religious scholar. The scholar's inquiry, ostensibly a test of Jesus' understanding of the law, sets the stage for a profound examination of what it means to be a 'neighbor.' By redirecting the question back to the scholar, Jesus invites a deeper reflection on the essence of the commandment to love God and one's neighbor, challenging the notion that religious knowledge should exist in isolation from lived experience. This pivotal moment underscores the importance of translating faith into action, suggesting that authentic spirituality is demonstrated through our relationships with others.
Central to this exploration is the understanding of love as a holistic endeavor, encompassing not merely emotional or theoretical components but integrating all aspects of our being—passion, intellect, and physicality—into the practice of love. This radical vision compels us to recognize that genuine expressions of love are multifaceted, involving activism, intellectual engagement, and emotional compassion. The call for a comprehensive approach to love raises critical questions about how we embody our faith in tangible ways that contribute to the well-being of our communities and the world at large.
To further illustrate these themes, the episode concludes with a practical invitation for listeners to engage in a 'love inventory.' This exercise encourages individuals to reflect on their expressions of love towards themselves, others, and the divine, fostering an awareness of how these dimensions intersect and where they may conflict. By advocating for a balance between self-love and love for others, the discussion emphasizes that nurturing our own spirits is not an act of selfishness but a vital component of meaningful community engagement. Ultimately, this episode encapsulates a vision of love that is revolutionary in its implications for both personal and collective transformation.
Takeaways:
- The essence of spiritual life is deeply intertwined with the practice of love, particularly neighborly love.
- Jesus reframes the concept of a neighbor, challenging traditional interpretations and encouraging a broader understanding.
- The command to love God with all our being emphasizes the integration of our emotions, intellect, and actions.
- Engaging in self-care is not an act of selfishness but rather essential for sustaining our ability to love others.
- Authentic faith is better demonstrated through practical action rather than merely theoretical beliefs or perfect theology.
- A reflective exercise of creating a love inventory can aid individuals in discovering how to balance self-love and love for others.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- voiceofgoddaily.com
- Daily Bible Refresh
- ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible Study Guide
Transcript
Brad Miller hello my good friend Dr.
Speaker A:Brad Miller here with Daily Bible Refresh.
Speaker A: on ears I a million people by: Speaker A:We do that by a daily reading of the New Testament.
Speaker A:We make it understandable when we use the Message version in the New Testament reading only.
Speaker A:We take that from the Revised Common Lectionary which is the three year cycle of reading through the entire Bible.
Speaker A:We are in Year C Eastertide season.
Speaker A:We make the reading also relatable by giving you three points to ponder and applicable by giving you an action step to follow of a prayer.
Speaker A:We do all that in under 10 minutes.
Speaker A:We also want to invite you to know that all this comes to you from our website, voiceofgodaily.com that's the home of the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible Study Method.
Speaker A:Let's get into our reading for today.
Speaker A: Luke: Speaker A:And he answered, what's written in God's law?
Speaker A:How do you interpret it?
Speaker A:He said that you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence, and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.
Speaker A:Good answer, said Jesus.
Speaker A:Do it and you'll live.
Speaker A:Hmm.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:What a powerful reframing and understanding of what we know as the great, great Commandment.
Speaker A:It's about redefining who neighbor is.
Speaker A:In this reflection, Jesus engages in this profound dialogue about the essence of spiritual life and neighborly love.
Speaker A:Here are some points to ponder.
Speaker A:The first one is about going beyond religious testing.
Speaker A:Notice how these interactions begin here with Jesus and the teacher.
Speaker A:A religious scholar, a teacher is trying to test Jesus, and this reflects a common pattern where a religious authority figure attempts to trap or test progressive people.
Speaker A:Rather than dismissing the question, Jesus turns it back to the questioner, challenging them to move beyond their theoretical debates to lived experience.
Speaker A:This reminds us that authentic faith is more about practice than about perfect theology.
Speaker A:A second point is about holistic love.
Speaker A:The command of to love God with all of our passion, prayer, muscle and intelligence presents a radically integrated view of spirituality.
Speaker A:This isn't just about emotional or intellectual faith.
Speaker A:It's about engaging our whole selves in the whole work of love.
Speaker A:For progressive Christians, this means our activism, our intellectual critique, our emotional compassion and our physical labor are all forms of divine love in action.
Speaker A:A third point is the revolutionary equation.
Speaker A:Jesus affirms that loving God and loving neighbor are intrinsically connected and that self love is the measuring stick of neighborly love.
Speaker A:This challenges both self depreciating religious traditions and individualistic modern culture.
Speaker A:It suggests that genuine social justice work must include both social self care and community care.
Speaker A:They're not opposing forces, but complementary expressions of divine love.
Speaker A:Let's talk about an action step that you can take.
Speaker A:I want to invite you to create a love inventory that is list two or three ways that you show love for yourself and two or three ways that you show love to others and two or three ways you show love for the divine to God.
Speaker A:And notice where these categories overlap and where they might be at tension.
Speaker A:Choose one area where you can bring these expressions of love into a better balance in your life.
Speaker A:Remember now that self care isn't selfish.
Speaker A:It's the foundation for sustainable justice work.
Speaker A:We're going to pray in just a moment.
Speaker A:I always want to remind you that we've got a great resource to help you on your own daily Bible study.
Speaker A:We hope that you make daily Bible study part of it.
Speaker A:Listening here to the daily Bible Refresh with me that gets the audible word into you.
Speaker A: ion years a million people by: Speaker A:But a part of it is also important that you get your own individual Bible study in.
Speaker A:You know that it's a problem you may have.
Speaker A:I know it's one I have sometimes.
Speaker A:Here's a tool to help you head ON over to voiceofgoddaily.com and there you're going to find easy links to find our resource.
Speaker A:It's called the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible Study Guide.
Speaker A:You go there and you pick it up and it will help you with your daily Bible study.
Speaker A:Voiceofgoddaily.com let's pray oh beloved one God, help us break free from rigid religious testing and embrace the simple, challenging truth of love guidance and loving ourselves deeply, not as an act of selfishness, but as preparation for loving others more fully.
Speaker A:When we struggle with self criticism or compassion fatigue, remind us that caring for ourselves is a part of your divine command.
Speaker A:Help us find that sacred balance where love of self, neighbor and you flow together in perfect harmony in the spirit of revolutionary love.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:In the spirit of the love of God.
Speaker A:I come to you every day with the voice of God daily.
Speaker A:It's my hope and prayer that you join me again tomorrow.
Speaker A:We usually drop these episodes by 6aM Eastern Eastern Time.
Speaker A:You can join us then, or really anytime at all the podcast directories.
Speaker A:And we have a back catalog of almost 900 episodes now.
Speaker A:You can check those out as well@voiceofgoddaily.com Please join us as we have this mission reading the audible word of God into 2 million years.
Speaker A: A million people by: Speaker A:So I'll see you tomorrow.
Speaker A:Until then, remember that God's loyal love doesn't run out.
Speaker A:His merciful love hasn't dried up, it's created new every morning.
