Ask a Stupid Question
When Jesus answers your question with a question
That Time the Smart Guy Asked a Dumb Question
I used to tell my students, “There’s no such thing as a stupid question. The only stupid question is the one you don’t ask.” I even said it with confidence, like it was a proven fact.
Turns out—I may have been wrong.
Last Sunday, Pastor Brandon preached on the parable of the Good Samaritan. But instead of focusing on the guy with the donkey and the first-aid kit, Pastor zoomed in on the lawyer—the expert in the law—who asked Jesus one of the most loaded (and let’s be honest, misguided) questions in the Bible:
“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus, being Jesus, didn’t lecture. He just turned the question back on him.
Pop Quiz for the Bible Scholar
Jesus says, “What does the Law say?”
And the lawyer—bright guy that he is—nails it:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind… and love your neighbor as yourself.”
“Great,” Jesus says. “Do that and you’ll live.”
But the lawyer isn’t done. He wants to justify himself (you know, cover all the legal loopholes), so he asks:
“And who is my neighbor?”
Cue the parable.
“The lawyer was trying to limit his neighbor list. Jesus was about to blow it wide open.”
The Question Behind the Question
Here’s the thing: this wasn’t a heartfelt inquiry. Luke tells us he asked to “test” Jesus. It wasn’t a search for truth—it was a setup. The same question was asked by the rich young ruler in Matthew 19, but he walked away sad. This guy? He walked away schooled.
Even when Jesus flips the question—“Which of these three was a neighbor to the man in need?”—the lawyer can’t bring himself to say, “The Samaritan.” He just mutters, “The one who had mercy.” It’s clear that since the Samaritans were old rivals of the Jews, the guy couldn’t even say the word!
Oof.
So… Who Is My Neighbor?
Jesus makes it plain. Our neighbors aren’t just the people who live next door or look like us or think like us. Neighbors are anyone in need. Anyone God puts in our path. Even—especially—the ones we don’t expect.
“Neighborliness has nothing to do with ZIP codes and everything to do with mercy.”
Takeaway:
When we try to draw lines around our love, Jesus redraws the map. Don’t ask, “Who’s in my neighborhood?” Ask, “How can I show love right here, right now?”
Prayer:
Lord, show me who needs mercy today—and give me the courage to give it. Not just in words, but in action. Help me be a neighbor, not just define one. Amen.
Who is YOUR Neighbor?
The World Wide Web has made proximity unnecessary for neighbors. Who can you be a neighbor to today?