Between Stranger and Neighbor
Luke 10: 25-37
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
“An expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to
inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read
there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with
all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor as
yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you
will live.”
“But wanting to vindicate himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the
hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and took off, leaving him half dead.
Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he
passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and
saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came upon
him, and when he saw him he was moved with compassion. He went to him and
bandaged his wounds, treating them with oil and wine. Then he put him on his own
animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two
denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him, and when I come
back I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ Which of these three, do you think,
was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The
one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Has there been a neighbor or a stranger in your life that you were inspired to reach
out to?
Who are the strangers in your life?
Do strangers identify our own fears and prejudices?
When and where have you been a stranger and what did it feel like?