Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
May 20, 2024
Luke 10:25-37
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “‘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, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Good Morning! Go and do likewise!
This is a challenging parable for most to uphold. After all, we live in a tough world where we are taught it isn’t safe to approach strangers. How often do we choose to step in to help someone, especially a stranger, in need? Truly, Jesus is calling us to violate every safety rule that we have ever been taught. “Stranger Danger”
I think we could start by helping our immediate neighbors. Think of the number of elderly people in our area who would appreciate someone coming by to chat or even a phone call. These visits or calls have no hidden agenda—you just want to be a friend.
It’s not that our immediate neighbors are more important than the infinite number of needy, but we have to work our way up to moving beyond our own surroundings. Many people have yet to reembrace community gatherings following the pandemic. Some have remained closed in for so long that they have forgotten how great it is to fellowship with others. It is a slow process to let go of the fear of sickness and join back into the neighborhood events.
God calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Spreading the seeds of kindness is a great way to begin. Share the joy of Christ with all you meet!
Affirming God, Thank you for this beautiful gift of life. We want to be like Christ, but we have put up so many barriers. Help us break down the walls of division. We thank you! In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Through acts of compassion, i am serving as Christ’s hands and feet.
Love one another! Pastor Liz
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