Scripture to Read: Luke 10:36–37
Jesus’ story of the Samaritan hit the hearts of everyone in the crowd that day. But since Jesus was talking to the lawyer, God had Luke record this as Jesus talked directly to the lawyer in Luke 10:36–37, “‘Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?’ 37 And he said, ‘The one who showed mercy toward him.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do the same.’” The lawyer knew who fulfilled the role of the neighbor, not just a neighbor, but a neighbor who loved as himself. What’s sad is that the lawyer did not say, “the Samaritan was the neighbor.” Instead, the lawyer answered and said “the one who showed mercy…” As a Jewish man, he couldn’t bring himself to say “the Samaritan.” Everyone there would have expected the Samaritan to have treated the Jewish man the worst, but instead, the Samaritan was the neighbor who showed incredible mercy. By this time, the lawyer knew he couldn’t justify himself. He knew in his heart that he didn’t have the kind of love the Samaritan showed to the Jewish man. The love the Samaritan showed went beyond anything anyone there had probably ever imagined. The love the Samaritan showed was God’s love. For us to be able to love that way, we must be fully surrendered to Christ as Lord in all areas of our lives and also be walking in deep fellowship with Him and His Word. When we do that, then we’ll also be ready to love as God has commanded.
Challenge & Application
Is there anything that still needs to happen in your life to love the way the Samaritan loved and if so, what is it?
How do you walk with our Lord each day and how have you been able to express loving your neighbor as yourself?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!