The Good Samaritan Luke 10:25-37
The text begins with an expert in religious law asking Jesus, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responds with a question, “what does the scripture say?” The man said, “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself”
Jesus affirmed that if the man did this he would inherit eternal life. But the man wants to know who is his neighbor. He may wonder is it just other Jews, is it the person next door? As Jesus tells the story we discover that any one and every one is my neighbor.
It is not just the people of our own faith, it’s any one in need. If you want to have eternal life, you have to love God and others. Jesus put it another way, He said, “treat your neighbor the way you want to be treated” Matthew 7:12.
It takes strength, energy, and purpose to do it. The Samaritan had to take time energy and money to help the man along the road. But it is well worth it, God will treat us the way we treat others, Matthew 7:2.
As we love God and others we are rewarded with a greater portion of God’s presence in our lives ,the world becomes a better place and we become better persons. So come on, get involved, reach out to God.