“Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend, nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away” (Proverbs 27:10).
Times of emergency and crisis often reveal things about family which are not openly visible. Solomon identifies these two examples.
In a crisis, a loyal friend who comes to you to help is better than a relative to whom you have to go for help. In this scenario, your friend (or your family’s friend) comes out of a feeling of deep and genuine concern. Your relative may ultimately help you but since you had to go to visit him, his help may only arise from a sense of duty/obligation. A friend’s help out of concern is better than a relative’s assistance out of duty.
In time of urgent need, a nearby neighbor who treats you like family is better than a distant relative. In this scenario, the willingness to help you may be about the same between the neighbor and the relative, but because of the distance and the urgency of the need, a nearby neighbor who volunteers to help is better.
Long before Jesus ever uttered the immortal parable (Luke 10:30-36), being a Good Samaritan was praiseworthy.
