Luke 10 tells us a story about a religious expert who asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?".
Jesus began to describe a man who had been beaten on the side of the road and left half dead. Two people walked by, saw the beaten man, and did nothing -- maybe they were too busy, maybe the man was too dirty, or perhaps there's some other reason they thought would justify leaving this man to suffer alone.
Or maybe you've been the one on the side of the road while others passed by. Often, the sting of being ignored might feel as painful as the wounds themselves.
I believe each of us have experienced both sides of that journey and yet, the story doesn't end there! You see, while two people passed by, the third man showed us exactly what it looks like to be a good neighbor. To stop for others, tend to their wounds, even offer financial support -- to show mercy.
Jesus said, "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. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, 'Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I'll pay you the next time I'm here.'" - Luke 10: 33-35
All three men were travelling for some reason -- they were all going somewhere. But the one who stopped, sacrificed his schedule, time, energy, finances, is the one whom Jesus called a "neighbor".
In each of our careers, families, and ventures, we have an opportunity to be a neighbor, and to enjoy having someone else be our neighbor in times of need. Compassion doesn’t have to be grand. It might look like listening to a coworker who’s struggling, offering help to a busy family member, or assisting a stranger in a small but meaningful way.
This week, we encourage you to reflect on the neighbors in your life. Take time to thank them for being your neighbor and think about how you can demonstrate compassion to them today.
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