The Good Samaritan

And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. Luke 10:25-37

Steps: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12

There was a debate and a man asked a question of Jesus, “What must I do to get solidly into recovery.” Jesus answered and said “What is written in the Law, how do you read it?” The lawyer said that the way to inherit eternal life was to love God with all that you had, and to love your neighbor as yourself. Then the lawyer asked “Who is my neighbour?” Jesus then told him the story of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan helped a Jew who would most likely have not helped him if the circumstances were reversed. He helped him when even his fellow Jews would not have helped even at the risk of his own life. The lawyer answered that it was the man who showed mercy on the man attacked by thieves. Jesus then told him that that was the definition of being a neighbour.

Prayer for Today: God help us to be willing to help someone else even if it costs us to do so. We know that we would like to be helped, so help us to do to others what we would like to have done to us if the circumstances were changed. You know that we are often afraid to help but help us to risk it all for you and for our neighbour.