Luke 10:25-42

A lawyer (of the Mosaic law) asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus turned the question back to him and asked what the law said. The lawyer said to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus told him that was all he needed to know. Pressing the question, the lawyer asked who his neighbor was. Jesus answered with a parable:

A man was victimized by robbers who took all of his belongings and left him by the side of the road half dead. Three men came along: a priest, a Levite, and a Samaritan. The first two saw the man and passed by on the other side of the road. The Samaritan was the only one to stop and help.

Jesus then asked which one proved himself to be a neighbor. The lawyer answered the one who showed the victimized man mercy. Jesus told him to go and do the same.

Our neighbor is anyone we come across in our life. When we see someone in need, we should act out of compassion, not thinking of the cost or what we'll get in return. This is the fulfillment of the command to love our neighbor. The way to do that is by following the first part of the command to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. It is by loving God we learn to love our neighbor.


Jesus went to the home of Mary and Martha. While Martha was busy getting things ready, Mary was by Jesus listening to Him. When Martha complained to Jesus that she was doing all the work, Jesus told her not to worry about all of that and that Mary had chosen the right thing by listening to Him.

Work is important - especially work for the Lord. The problem is that if we get so busy doing that work and don't take the time to listen to God, we'll either be spinning our wheels going in the wrong direction and/or become spiritually (and physically) exhausted. Take the time to slow down and go to God to be fed and refreshed regularly.