Based on Luke 10:25-37

If you haven’t read the story of the good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37 in a hot minute, take the time to do that today. That story Jesus tells is in response to the question from an expert in the Old Testament laws: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25). The short answer is, “Nothing! There’s not enough you can do to inherit eternal life. It must be given to you as a gift!” But Jesus wants to lead this man to see this truth and asks him, “What does the law say?” The man correctly answers: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” (from Deuteronomy 6:5) and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (from Leviticus 19:18). Jesus confirms his answer. If you love God with your whole being all the time and love your neighbor more than you love yourself—all the time—you will do what God demands of you, and you will receive eternal life.

This is not something that we can achieve, of course, and this man knows it because he asks, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:27). Because there are some people who are difficult to love. What this man is doing is bringing God’s demands in the law down to a manageable level. Jesus is going to bring that bar back up, and he tells the story of the good Samaritan.

A man is traveling near Jerusalem and Jericho and is attacked by thugs, robbed, and left for dead. Two “church people,” a priest and Levite—this would be a pastor and a lay leader or elder in the church—walk right by him. But a Samaritan walks by. Samaritans and Jews, culturally and societally, just did not get along. It is this Samaritan who stops to help this Jew at great cost to himself. So Jesus asks the man, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor?” The man answers, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus replies, “Go and do likewise” (from Luke 10:36,37).

What I could tell you today in this devotion is: “Be like the good Samaritan! Be a better neighbor! Love your neighbor! Amen!” But you and I would go about our day feeling pretty guilty about ourselves. If you’re like me, I’m not very good at loving my neighbor. I make excuses: “I don’t know what to say to this neighbor in need. What can I do to help them?” And what if your neighbor (like Jews and Samaritans) is your adversary? What if your neighbor in need is a neighbor, co-worker, family member, or stranger who is very unlovable?

The good news is that the story of the good Samaritan is not about you and me. It’s a picture of Jesus himself, who goes out of his way, at great cost to himself, to love his neighbor, even his adversary, and people who are unlovable at times . . . that’s me and that’s you. Jesus is the perfect neighbor, the perfect friend, the perfect family member, the perfect co-worker, the perfect stranger. His righteousness is your righteousness. That’s how Jesus sees you and me.

So when we see our neighbor in need, we are free to venture all things. We are free to love our neighbor in need and not worry about getting it right or saying or doing the wrong thing or wondering, What will others think of me as I show love to this neighbor who is so often unlovable? Don’t worry about those things. Don’t worry about this: “What do I say or what do I do with this individual who is hurting so much, for me to sit with them in their pain and their grief?” Jesus simply says, “Go and love your neighbor.”

There are plenty of neighbors in the military community who need my love and your love. I received a phone call a couple of weeks ago that made me very sad. One of our war fighters, a Special Forces soldier, took his own life. My neighbor in need was the pastor and his wife of that congregation. My neighbor in need were other war fighters and family members and other pastors who had served this man’s spiritual needs. What it meant for me to be a loving neighbor was simply to be a listening ear, to pray, to share Jesus’ promises with them.

Do you know anyone like that? A neighbor in need who needs you just to listen, to sit with them in their pain and their grief? Love that neighbor.

A war fighter’s spouse recently reached out to me. They are struggling so much because their spouse is deployed, and they are just in a rough place. How can I be a neighbor to this person who is in need? I can just be present. I can listen. I can ask, “How can I pray for you today?” I can point them to Jesus’ promises.

I’m sure you know people like this. Reach out to them. Love your neighbor.

This is how the Church works. This is what the Church does, because this is who we are in Christ, loved by Christ, so that we might go and love our neighbor who is in need.

Prayer:
God of all power and might, you are the giver of all that is good. Help us love you with all our heart. Strengthen us in the true faith. Provide us with all we need and keep us safe in your care as we receive your love through Jesus’ perfect life of love. Move in us to love our neighbor, selflessly, sacrificially, so that your Son may be the face our neighbor sees through us. Amen.