I helped two Chinese ladies change a flat last summer. I watched them hit a storm drain which popped their tire. Only one spoke a bit of English, and they gratefully accepted my help. In fact, they offered me a meal at the restaurant they run with their family, which I meant to collect until I lost their contact info. Hopefully my reward for the good deed (Chinese food) waits in heaven.

We all help folks out at times, just as we receive help from others. But the parable of the Good Samaritan drives home the need for a deeper examination of my life. You remember the story, how a man was beaten and left for dead, then passed over twice before the Samaritan took charge. At the end of the teaching Jesus asked:

Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Showing mercy to those in need—the mark of a good neighbor.

Practice mercy. Not just talk it up, or like merciful stories on social media, or chronicle merciful actions on my blog (like I just did here). Go and perform mercy for those who need it. In the name of Jesus.

Holy Spirit, please empower me with a dose of your mercy today as I make my way in the world, so I might in turn be merciful to others.

Luke 10 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Denny Müller