Luke 10:30-34 “Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him.”

Perhaps to understand this story it would help to bring it into a modern setting. The captain of the football team is jumped by rival school players the week before the big game. Beaten badly he is left bleeding and injured alongside the road. Shortly, his pastor comes by, sees him, and chooses not to get involved. Soon, a policeman also arrives on the scene. At the end of his shift and realizing this would mean paperwork and overtime, he cruises right past. Later, the little nerd the football player is always picking on is coming home from the library and sees him lying there. Without considering all the reasons he has not to help, he dials 911, and begins performing initial first aid to stop the bleeding – placing his coat beneath the injured boy’s head. Any one of us would gladly stop and help those we love. More difficult is the dilemma of what to do when it is someone with whom we have no personal stake. Most difficult is when we are confronted with those in need whom we would least like to help. It is at these very times when we have the chance to be most like our Father in heaven.

Pray: “Father, it is not in doing the easy things that we show ourselves to be your children. Rather, it is when the world would say “no way” that we have the opportunity to show that we are different. When the world cries “justice”, we cry “mercy”. When the world says ‘not my business’, let me say ‘what can I do’. Let me see these difficult choices as my greatest opportunities to demonstrate to the world the mercy, grace and unmatched love of you, my Heavenly Father. In Jesus name, give me the eyes to see the need and the strength to meet it as you would – Amen.”