Luke 10:25-37 (NRSV)
Read Luke 10:25-37 on biblegateway.com
Verse 25Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Verse 26He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" Verse 27He answered, "You shall 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 your neighbor as yourself." Verse 28And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live." Verse 29But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Verse 30Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Verse 31Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Verse 32So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. Verse 33But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. Verse 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. Verse 35The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.' Verse 36Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" Verse 37He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
Devotion
Jesus instructs us to love our neighbors. When asked who our neighbor is, Jesus told a story about the Good Samaritan. An outsider, this Samaritan would be last person the asker would think was his neighbor. The Commandments are summed up simply as: love God. Love people.
If only it were that simple! Our selves, our time, our possessions, our money so often get in the way of us loving God. Our fears, our judgments, our schedules so often get in the way of us loving our neighbors. Yet Jesus calls us to love God and to love our neighbors.
Loving our neighbors isn’t always easy, but it is doable and very rewarding. We love our neighbors as we pray for them, as we hand out socks and food to the homeless, as we build Habitat for Humanity homes, and as we forgive. As we love our neighbors, God transforms them and us.
Prayer
Merciful Lord, I confess that sometimes I don’t like my neighbors and that I don’t always want to love them. Help me to see them as you see them and to let go of all that hinders me from loving my neighbors. Amen.