“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” (Luke 10:36-37 NLT)
“Why are you being nice to me?” he asked. His words were heartbreaking and echoed within me. I handed him a warm blanket and could think of nothing else but to reply, “Is there some reason I shouldn’t be nice to you?” He looked at me, shrugged his shoulders, and said, “No one else is.” Sizing me up, he added, “You’re not like them.”
In today’s culture, kindness and compassion tend to be the exception, instead of the rule. Sometimes people are surprised when a stranger extends kindness to them. Have you experienced this? Can you think of a time a stranger was kind to you? What was your reaction to their kindness?
While it is human nature to be self-centered, the Bible tells us that we must be selfless and love not only our neighbors, but our enemies, just as Jesus did. (See Matthew 22:37-39, Matthew 5:43-47, Philippians 2:3-4)
When we open our eyes and our hearts to those around us without exceptions, we have a real opportunity to not only be a light in the darkness but to also be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who need Him the most.
Who can you be compassionate and merciful toward today?
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