Read Luke 10:25-37
Go and Do Likewise!
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus with this question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responded with a question: “What does the Law say?” The man replies that we are to love the Lord God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus complimented the man on a great answer but the man asked another question, “Who is my neighbor?”
Jesus answers with a story:
A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho and was overtaken by robbers who attacked him, stripped him of his clothes, beat him, then went away leaving the man half dead. Two godly men each came by separately, first a priest, later a Levite. Both saw the man and passed by him on the other side. Neither one of them wanted to get involved. The two religious people who you would expect to get involved turned away from the man and his great need.
But the third man who came by was a Samaritan. The man beaten was most likely a Jew because he was traveling a road between Jerusalem and Jericho. So the last person you’d expect to help is a Samaritan since Samaritans and Jews hated each other. However, the Samaritan took pity on the man, went to him, poured oil and wine on the wound, bandage them, put the man on his donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him there. He then gave the innkeeper money equivalent to two days wages. He asked the man to take care of the gentleman and when he returned he would pay for any more expenses. Jesus asked who was a neighbor to the man in need? The expert of the law said the Samaritan who showed mercy. Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.”
Jesus is asking us all to love our neighbor who could be anyone. But he was also asking us to be a good neighbor to anyone. This means being willing to get involved. Many Christians want a carefree, comfortable Christian walk that doesn’t involve risks or sacrifices. Jesus made it clear that to live the Christian faith means taking risks that could end up costing your life, costing you money, costing your popularity, costing your time, and it could be hard work. Showing Mercy on someone isn’t always easy. But that’s the Christian faith. It’s about impacting lives for Jesus. So Go and Do Likewise!
