Listen

Jesus replied, “A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He encountered thieves, who stripped him naked, beat him up, and left him near death. 

A Samaritan, who was on a journey, came to where the man was. But when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. The Samaritan went to him and bandaged his wounds, tending them with oil and wine. Then he placed the wounded man on his own donkey, took him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day, he took two full days’ worth of wages and gave them to the innkeeper. He said, ‘Take care of him, and when I return, I will pay you back for any additional costs.’ What do you think? Which one of these three was a neighbor to the man who encountered thieves?”

Then the legal expert said, “The one who demonstrated mercy toward him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Luke 10:30, 33-37

Think

Think about the people in our communities who are on the edges of society. Maybe they are from a different culture or come from a different socioeconomic class. The people you thought about could very easily be interchanged for the Samaritan man in our story today. This story would have been incredibly controversial to the group Jesus was talking to, and he knew it. Jesus was trying to get across to those gathered around him that their neighbors are not only people who are in close proximity to them but also those who don’t fit into their normal social structures. The invitation from Jesus is the same for you and me as it was for those surrounding Jesus in this story. We as followers of Jesus have the opportunity to expand our vision of our neighborhood to include all sorts of interesting people who, just like us, are made in the image of God.

Zeke Stephenson

Question to Ponder:

If you exchanged “Samaritan” with someone from our communities today, who would it be? How can you share the love and acceptance of Jesus with them, knowing they are made in God’s image, just like you?

Pray

Loving God, there are so many people in my world today who would be considered the same as a Samaritan was back when Jesus told the story. Help me to be someone who welcomes those on the edges of society into my circles, showing them that they are loved, and they are important. Amen.

Go

In loving your neighbor, may you see everyone as God sees them. May you see each person around you as the image bearer of our Creator. Go in peace to love God and love your neighbor.