The Impact of a Neighbor (In Honor of D'Angelo Cooper) By: E. Philor

 Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind;’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

The Impact of a Neighbor

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou

        

When Maya Angelou penned these words, she wasn’t thinking about any person in my life, she was thinking of the impact of people on her own. The gift of her statement is that it is true. I can recall every person who has made me feel emotion. Those who have made me feel happy and those who have made me feel sad. Whether they made me feel anxious or made me centered. Often when I feel certain emotions, those people come to mind, and it causes me to reflect on the impact of those people. We never get to forget them or how they’ve made us feel. Today, we celebrate the life of one of those people. D'Angelo Demetri Cooper is one of the most unforgettable people I have ever met. So much so, I struggle to remember when I met him. What I can tell you about D’Angelo is that he embodied this quote and subsequently the text set before us. I anchor the two together because they mirror the life of a Christian well-lived. 

D was a perpetual student, who spent his life wrestling with the issues of life that many of us had decided to simply deal with. What I inferred from him is that the 2-Dollar words we’d use in conversation were impressive as he would, in turn, use them to jokingly prove he was as smart as the best of them. What I admire most though about him and subsequently about the text is that it is a parable. Parables, though fictional in nature, have the potential to teach very valuable life lessons. The purpose of D being in our lives was not to be there for us but to teach us how to be there for others. It would be foolish for us to leave this place and continue living life as we did before. By simply being in this space together, we ought to bear the weight of caring for our neighbors just as this Samaritan did for his neighbor in the text. Not simply offering them reluctant care but genuinely loving them how we love ourselves! All our interactions with D would be for naught if we don’t live out our lives moving forward as a good neighbor.

D’Angelo had an uncanny calling to live life on the Jericho Road. No matter which angle of the road you found yourself on, D’Angelo would meet you there. The truth of the matter is that the Jericho Road was not an easy road to travel, especially not at night. This sets the stage for the parable as the hearers of this parable would recognize the likelihood of someone being beaten and/or robbed in this neighborhood. But on this road, Jesus provides us with three glimmers of hope: in the persons of 1) The Priest, 2) The Levite and 3) The Samaritan. As we know from our reading of the text that only one of these three glimmers exemplifies the true nature of God at that moment, and it is the least likely. It wasn’t the ordained preacher /pastor. It wasn’t the worship assistant. No, it was the one who was not even welcomed in the temple. The one who didn’t have a title that spoke of their capacity. It was the one who didn’t seem to fit into society. The one who was known by their geographical situation and not the capacity of their Gift. That is the Samaritan. He was judged by where he came from before he had the opportunity to offer the gifting God deposited in him.

The Jericho Road was not a safe place to be. Robbers and Murders were lying in wait for journeyers traveling by, but in our lives our Jericho Roads are similar. There is poverty, missed opportunity, misfortune, grief, illness, and pain. Occasionally, we may bump into a Dream Killers and Vision Thieves along our way. But for this purpose, God has stationed someone on our Jericho Roads to offer us the support for when we found our lives and our purpose hanging in the balance. That person for many of us, especially for me was D’Angelo Cooper. Thus, He was the epitome of the term Neighbor. Not in the sense that he was simply nearby but because he cared for the people whom God placed in his life. He did not coast idly through life without acknowledging the struggles of those around him. No, D was one to sit with people through their pain and stay until his presence became a norm. Many of us who knew him can attest that D’Angelo was there for us when we couldn’t be there for ourselves. He served in the capacities of ministry that others typically run away from. He did by nature what many Clergy members reluctantly do by obligation. He was a walking example of Matthew 25. If you were sick, he visited. If you were naked, he clothed you. If you were without food, he fed you. If you were in need, he gave what he had. He never was ordained or pastored a church, but he ministered in every way possible. Thus, proving he was a Good Neighbor.

What a Gift! Imagine being able to rely on the fact that God would come through for you. This is the manifestation of who D’Angelo was. D would not only come through for you, but he wouldn’t do it for anything in return. And what is important for us to remember is that he didn’t bear the mark of jealousy because of those being elevated around him because that would’ve suggested that he settled. D never settled for the promise of the priest because he realized that the limitations of the call created a dichotomy within the call for service. Therefore, he never needed to be the priest, especially because the priest walked by need. D was never mesmerized by the work of the Levite because he knew the obligations of their status clouded their ability to see the needs of the people. D could not be limited to those positions. He was the lowly, insignificant, underrated, overlooked, frustrated yet dedicated Samaritan. Not the person you would ever think to call when you needed help but the person whose steps were so ordered by God that they were right where you needed them to be.

So, D, Farewell my dear friend. Life separated us sooner than anyone could’ve anticipated. We will always remember the sound of you whistling from a block away. We will never forget your infectious laugh, your giving heart, your compassionate presence. Your ambitious preparation for duty through fellowship and love. We will miss your comradery and your candor. While we may sow tears today, we recognize that when you traversed the Jordan, you heard the long-anticipated “Well Done, My Good and Faithful Servant. Enter into the Joy of the Lord.”  Though a painful experience for us who stay behind and mourn, we rejoice in knowing where you are and we shall get there someday. So, I join in with the Hymn Writer today and say:

Burdens now may crush me down,

disappointments all around.

Troubles speak in mournful sigh,

sorrow through a tear stained eye.

There is a world where pleasure reigns,

no mourning soul shall roam its plains,

and to that land of peace and glory,

I want to go some day.

 

I do not know how long 'twill be,

nor what the future holds for me;

but this I know, if Jesus leads,

I shall get home some day.