Luke 10:29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Yeshua, “And who is my ‘neighbor’?” 30 Taking up the question, Yeshua said: “A man was going down from Yerushalayim to Yericho when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him naked and beat him up, then went off, leaving him half dead. 31 By coincidence, a cohen was going down on that road; but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levi who reached the place and saw him also passed by on the other side.
33 “But a man from Shomron who was traveling came upon him; and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. 34 So he went up to him, put oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them. Then he set him on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day, he took out two days’ wages, gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Look after him; and if you spend more than this, I’ll pay you back when I return.’ 36 Of these three, which one seems to you to have become the ‘neighbor’ of the man who fell among robbers?” 37 He answered, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Yeshua said to him, “You go and do as he did.” -------
The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”[Matthew 25:40 (NIV)]
When I visit urban areas near my home, I am alarmed at the large number of men, women, and sometimes even children sleeping on sidewalks and in other open areas. Then I remember that in Jesus’ parable of the good Samaritan, the true neighbor attends to the needs of others.
So I ask myself, “Do I stop and attend to the needs of those whom God places in my path?” Occasionally I do, but I admit that I often pass by — grateful for various programs designed to meet their needs. However, as I step around these suffering people, God reminds me of Jesus’ command for us to care for the least among us — whether we do that as individuals, as a society, or as the church.
Many of our brothers and sisters live in desperate poverty. When I recall Jesus’ story of the good Samaritan, I am moved to renew my commitment to work with Christian compassion for the well-being of all my neighbors.
When I visit urban areas near my home, I am alarmed at the large number of men, women, and sometimes even children sleeping on sidewalks and in other open areas. Then I remember that in Jesus’ parable of the good Samaritan, the true neighbor attends to the needs of others.
So I ask myself, “Do I stop and attend to the needs of those whom God places in my path?” Occasionally I do, but I admit that I often pass by — grateful for various programs designed to meet their needs. However, as I step around these suffering people, God reminds me of Jesus’ command for us to care for the least among us — whether we do that as individuals, as a society, or as the church.
Many of our brothers and sisters live in desperate poverty. When I recall Jesus’ story of the good Samaritan, I am moved to renew my commitment to work with Christian compassion for the well-being of all my neighbors.
Prayer focus: People who are homeless
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