The Parable of the Good Samaritan
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’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”
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.”
Footnotes:
- Luke 10:27 Deut. 6:5
- Luke 10:27 Lev. 19:18
- Luke 10:35 A denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see Matt. 20:2).
So why does it matter to me that the Boston bombing suspect was finally buried. Why does it matter to me that the Ambercrombie CEO hates us curvy women. Why does it matter to me that 2 men got released from the Cleveland kidnapping case. Why does it matter to me that a survivor was found in the garment factory in Bangladesh after 16 days. So why does it that matter to me that Dennis Rodman is friends with Kim Jong Un. So why does it matter to me when celebrities are injured or pass away. Actually it is simple. I am a human. I used to not care as much, but I have come to have compassion on people. I can hurt and cry over people I have never met before. I am not trying to make you picture a hippie sitting here, but the world and all the people in it matter to me. I can understand when it relates to me even in an indirect way. Such as the Ambercrombie thing as I am one of the women he doesn't like and Henry Garza recuperating from a fall off of a stage as Los Lonely Boys are the only group that all 3 of us in this house actually agree on liking. But I didn't know anyone at the marathon and I sure didn't know the suspect. I have never been to Bangladesh and probably never will be. I don't know anyone involved from Ohio. Dennis Rodman means nothing to me and I have no celebrities that are friends. Because they are my neighbors. Even though I don't have contact, they are presented before me in the news. How can I turn from them and not pray for them. I don't have to know everyone I pray for but I have to pray for everyone. Do I say everyone by name, no but God knows my heart and knows their names and their plights. I have been trying to keep a journal of sorts when I sit down to pray. I have been writing down names or situations and it has seemed to help me remember more of the people I want to pray for. Whether it is family or friends. Whether it is someone I was blessed to meet at The Master's Hands or someone I will only read about. They matter to God and so they need to matter to me.
Take care and God Bless I pray that God keeps you and comforts you.
Sherri
A picture of the place that has come to mean so much to me. The people that volunteer there and that come in are wonderful and such a blessing to me.
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