By Pastor David Holland
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:25-37
How can we know we are truly a Christian? Being born into a Christian family doesn’t make you a believer any more than sitting in a McDonald’s makes you a hamburger. Nor can you simply be a good person and earn your way into heaven.
Jesus reveals the test of tangible Christian faith through the parable of the Good Samaritan. A young religious lawyer approached Christ asking, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus asks the lawyer about what he believes, and the man shares remarkable insight as he says, “Love God” and “Love others.” These two great commandments are not only a summary of the entire Old Testament, but are the guiding principles of successful living.
The lawyer questions Jesus further. “Who is my neighbor?” It’s as if he were saying, “How do I know the kind of love and faith God requires?” Christ answers with a story aimed at challenging the man while assuring him of salvation.
The parable begins with a man robbed, beaten and left for dead. The priest walking by is unwilling to get involved with this messy situation. So, he avoids the man in need. Ironically, he was en route to the temple to serve people in need while a man lies suffering right in front of him.
A Levite also passes by; but in a hurry to fulfill his religious duties, he leaves the poor man lying on the road.
But, along comes a despised, irreligious Samaritan who has compassion for the man and generously attends to his needs. Christ concludes the parable with a question for the lawyer: “So, who was the good neighbor?”
The lawyer answers, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Christ’s conclusion and message to us, “Go and do likewise.”
It is easy to love God and love others in theory. The difficulty comes in actually doing it in ways that matter. The Lord showed us how. Through the priest, Christ reveals you can serve the Lord in non-religious places.
The response of the Levite shows hurting people sometimes surface at the most inconvenient times. It is in the random and unpredictable times that people challenge us to stop and show mercy.
Who is our neighbor? It is the needy person set in our path or the difficult situation that people lay on our doorstep. Often, our neighbor is a stranger.
We could shirk responsibility and ask ourselves, “Why is this person my problem?” We can go down the guilt path and assign blame. “What did they do to get themselves into this situation?” Or we can take the mercy road and help the needy person.
When I was age 17 and a new Christian, my mother went out drinking. Late that night, she came home with a male friend who had drunk way too much. Because I had two twin beds in my room, the stranger slept in the empty bed. I remember his smell to this day.
Internally, I fumed with anger. But I also sensed that this man needed to know Christ as his savior.
I explained the good news of Jesus Christ to this inebriated person, and he prayed the prayer of faith. I went to sleep doubtful he would remember anything. In the morning, I drove him home, and as I was dropping him off, he paused and said, “I remember what we did last night. I’m a Christian now.” Despite my lack of compassion, God’s grace powerfully affected this new brother.
Mercy does not earn your entrance to heaven, but it shows you have genuine faith. Micah 6:7-9 says, “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Be the Christian who shows mercy.
I know simple faith in the Lord Jesus Christ saves us from sin. But, I also know we need to act on that faith by loving our neighbors. Walking down the road of life, you will encounter struggling, hurting people. In my experience, these tests occur in the most inconvenient times and are costly in time and money. Are you ready to meet your neighbor and pass the mercy test?
Dave Holland pastored churches 38 years before retiring in Destin. This devotional is from his book, “Extraordinary Jesus.” You can get a copy of his books from his website, DaveHolland.org or at Amazon.com. Pastor Dave is available to preach and teach at churches and conferences. Contact him at DavidvHolland54@gmail.com.
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