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You have taken off your old self . . . and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. (Colossians 3:9-10 (NIV))“I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14), the Lord replied when Moses asked his name. And then I thought of my usual response when people ask who I am. I might say my name or that I’m an artist or a writer, but none of these labels would matter if I were not truly who I say I am. Saying I’m a teacher would be meaningless if I don’t truly teach and pass on knowledge.
In the same way, saying that I am a Christian wouldn’t matter if I don’t display Christlike behavior or show love to my neighbors. In today’s reading, the priest and the Levite were men of God, but the Samaritan — viewed as an outcast and idol worshiper — showed more compassion to the wounded stranger than they did. In this, the Samaritan showed that he wasn’t his stereotype or title but simply a man capable of showing compassion and love to a total stranger, to his neighbor. Jesus’ answer to the lawyer showed us that our titles and labels do not matter much. In the end it is not about saying who we are — Levite, priest, Samaritan, friend, mother, or writer. What matters is showing who we truly are — children of God, striving to be conformed to the image of our Creator.
TODAY'S PRAYER: Dear Lord, help us to love you with all our heart and soul and strength and mind and to love our fellow human beings as ourselves. Amen.
TODAY'S READING: Luke 10:25-37
Luke 10:25 An expert in Torah stood up to try and trap him by asking, “Rabbi, what should I do to obtain eternal life?” 26 But Yeshua said to him, “What is written in the Torah? How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “You are to love Adonai your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your understanding; and your neighbor as yourself.”[Luke 10:27 Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18] 28 “That’s the right answer,” Yeshua said. “Do this, and you will have life.”
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 cohenwas 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.” (Complete Jewish Bible).
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Today I will be my true self — a child of God.
PRAYER FOCUS: Clergy
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