“Go and do likewise”
Daily Scripture
Luke 10:25-37
25 A legal expert stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to gain eternal life?”
26 Jesus replied, “What is written in the Law? How do you interpret it?”
27 He responded, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself” [Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18].
28 Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live.”
29 But the legal expert wanted to prove that he was right, so he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Jesus replied, “A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He encountered thieves, who stripped him naked, beat him up, and left him near death. 31 Now it just so happened that a priest was also going down the same road. When he saw the injured man, he crossed over to the other side of the road and went on his way. 32 Likewise, a Levite came by that spot, saw the injured man, and crossed over to the other side of the road and went on his way. 33 A Samaritan, who was on a journey, came to where the man was. But when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. 34 The Samaritan went to him and bandaged his wounds, tending them with oil and wine. Then he placed the wounded man on his own donkey, took him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day, he took two full days’ worth of wages and gave them to the innkeeper. He said, ‘Take care of him, and when I return, I will pay you back for any additional costs.’ 36 What do you think? Which one of these three was a neighbor to the man who encountered thieves?”
37 Then the legal expert said, “The one who demonstrated mercy toward him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Daily Reflection & Prayer
“Go and do likewise”? Jesus didn’t mean the legal expert (or you) should ignore people’s needs as long as thieves haven’t beaten them and left them in a ditch. In Jesus’ story, the Samaritan used his time, money, and emotional energy to relieve a suffering stranger. He went “above and beyond”—his caring continued after the broken man was at an inn. He pledged to go back and pay any extra costs. So, Jesus’ call—“go and do likewise.” Be ready to offer profuse, practical mercy that costs something.
- Jesus chose a priest and a Levite to represent those who claim to serve God, yet can’t be troubled to help another child of God. Where do you see yourself in this story? Are you the priest or Levite, the Samaritan (someone the priest and Levite looked down on), or the helpless, battered victim? Jesus called us all to become like “the one who demonstrated mercy.” How do you (or could you) act on your relationship with God by offering compassion and healing to someone who needs it?
- Has helping someone else ever cost you an amount of money, time, or energy that was more than trivial? If so, reflect on your inner responses as you showed mercy. (Were you annoyed? Proud? Frustrated? Trapped?) Then recall your inner responses after the crisis when you knew you had helped someone heal. Do you believe giving help that costs something is worth it?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, place someone in my path who will give me the chance to act like the Samaritan. Teach me that I’m here to help others. And thank you for showing me mercy in all my broken places. Amen.
GPS Insights
Lydia Kim
My goddaughter is a fan of Disney princesses. I asked her why she is such a fan, and the reply was, “They wear pretty dresses…and do good things.” I was expecting the pretty dresses part of the answer, because Lily is a big fan of sparkly, colorful, twirling dresses. For a while, it didn’t matter what the weather was, she insisted on wearing something sparkly that she could twirl in, even when it was freezing, and the dress was paper-thin.
What surprised me was the second half of her answer. For Lily, her fangirling over Disney princesses didn’t stop at their looks, possessions, or ability to break into song, but extended to their actions. Even at six, Lily understands that we, Disney princesses or not, are called to do good.
In today’s Scripture, Jesus reminds the legal expert that we are called to love God with our entire being and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Loving others, doing good, is not always easy. It requires us to act. While the action may cost something, I have found that the greatest reward comes from that into which I put the most effort.
How might you do good today? How might you show God’s love? Lily will tell you that you don’t have to be a Disney princess to do good, and I think God would say the same thing. “Go and do likewise.”
