Scripture Printed Text: St Luke 10:25-37
Luke’s gospel records Jesus teaching on loving your neighbor. A certain lawyer ask Jesus who is my neighbor? Jesus answers the lawyer with a parable. A parable is an earthly story that reveals hidden spiritual meaning. Jesus tells a story about a man who traveled from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his clothes, and wounded him, departed leaving him half dead. A certain priest came that way and when he saw the injured man, he passed by on the other side. A Levite came that way and when he saw the same man, he passed by on the other side. A Samaritan came by and when he saw the injured man, he had compassion on him, bound up his wounds, set him upon his beast and brought him to an inn to be cared for. Jesus asked the lawyer which of these three men was a neighbor to the man that was attacked? The lawyer said the one who showed him mercy. Jesus said to the lawyer, go and do the same.
Church, what a powerful lesson about showing mercy on your neighbor. Who is my neighbor? Jesus illustrates that a neighbor is one who sees another who is in need and uses whatever resources he has to meet that need. We are called to show mercy and meet those who are in need. As Christians, we are to focus on meeting people’s needs regardless of race, color or creed, status or position. Is there someone whom you know that is in need? Do you have the resources to meet that need? Let us show mercy to our neighbors by meeting a need.