Getting Involved

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion. - Psalm 111:4


Isn't anybody going to help that poor guy?" Fred exclaimed as he and my husband, Tom, realized what had been causing traffic to creep down the busy five-lane road. A man lay sprawled between the lanes, bicycle on top of him, as vehicles simply drove around him. Fred turned onthe warning flashers and blocked traffic with his car. Then both guys jumped out to help the shaken man.

Fred and Tom got involved, as did the Samarithan man in Jesus' story in Luke 10. Like him, they overcome any reluctance they might have had to reach out to a man in distress. The Samarithan also had to overcome racial and cultural prejudice. The people we would have expected to help showed indifference to the injured man's plight.

It's easy to find reasons not to get involved. Busyness, indifference, and fear often top the list. Yet as we seek to follow our Lord faithfully, we will become more aware of opportunities to show the kind of compassion He showed (Matt. 14:14; 15:32; Mark 6:34).

In the parable of the Good Samarithan, Jesus commended the man who had acted out of compassion even though it was inconvenient, difficult, and costly to do so. Then, to us He says, "Go and do likewise" (Luke 10:37). - Cindy Hess Kasper


When we share another's burden,
We display God's love and care,
Offering relief and comfort
When life seems too much to bear. - Sper

True compassion puts love into action.

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Luke 10:30-37

Jesus answered, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side.

But a certain Samarithan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said to him, 'Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.' Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?" He said, "He who showed mercy on him."

Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

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Helping each other is please the Lord.