Jesus, help me to grow spiritually from the parable You told about a man who responded to the needs of a person who was in trouble. Show me that we typically call this man “the good samaritan” because of the good he did. Teach me that this spiritual illustration (parable) shows me how to take faith-action so as to help people who need my help. Help me see that they give me an opportunity to reach beyond myself and care for the people around me (my neighbors):

Luke 10:30 (NIV) In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.

Jesus, in this case it is easy to see that this man had a special need; but, help me realize that not all the people around me will have needs that are that obvious. Help me apply the James 1:19 principle: My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry (NIV). Teach me that this means I will need to ASK You to help me listen to what people say. Show me that many times people will give me little clues as to what their personal needs are. But, even when they do let little pieces of information slip out from time to time, help me see that I will need to pursue the clue. However, if the people around me are pretty secretive about their personal problems, needs, and struggles, let me see if I can help them open up.

Luke 10:31 (NIV) A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. Jesus, help me NOT be like this man who was supposed to be a professional need-responder. Let me be a trained and skilled person who loves my neighbor as myself; help me NOT already have a full schedule. Help me NOT be like those people who typically only helped those who have a lot of money and those who can give back those special favors I give them. Help me NOT concentrate on my friends, business associates, and colleagues. If it is a needy person who can’t give back, help me NOT pass by on the other side.

Luke 10:32 (NIV) So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. Jesus, help me not be like this person who is supposed to be working for You; let me not only help people deal with their sins, failures, and bad deeds; but, help me reach out to their physical needs. Let me NOT be one should know how to do the right thing and not do it; help me get involved. Help me have the love and compassion to not only help a person who is dying; but, let me help with the smallest of needs. Let me help with those who are in bad shape. Let me help those who aren’t trying to take advantage of the system. Let me take faith-action and go help rather than passing by on the other side.

Luke 10:33 (NIV) But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. Jesus, even if religious people consider me to be the scum of the earth, let me follow this Samaritan’s example. Even if religious people see me to be the most unspiritual, ungodly person around; help me do what is right. Even if others considered themselves to be the closest to God and the things of God, let me follow this example.

Jesus, help me understand this about God: He considered what I do or don’t do for people, like the wounded man, to be what I do or don’t do for Him. Teach me that it is how I treat people that matters to God. Teach me that the main reason God gave me a perfect record was so I could be trained, transformed, and empowered to demonstrate my love for Him by helping hurting people. Teach me that the closer I get to God, the greater my love will grow for people. And, the greater my love grows for people, the more I will take faith-action to help them with their problems.

Luke 10:34 (NIV) He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. Jesus, in the previous verse the Bible says that, “when he saw him, he took pity on him.” Help me see that I can feel sorry for people and not do anything about it; make it clear to me that faith-action is seeing a need and addressing it. Show me that faith-action takes time, effort, and often money. It is the moment when I interupt my life and do something that may be time consuming. It is where I allow myself to feel the pain, struggle, and difficulties of those around me and then allow You to empower me to take faith-action and help them.

Luke 10:35 (NIV) The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ Jesus, help me NOT feel like I have done enough; help me NOT feel like other people should pick up where I left off. Help me take faith-action and then go the extra mile. Let me get other people involved in helping people; but, help me see that it is important that I not just dump this issue in their lap and withdraw. Others may not have the same feelings and compassion that I do; they may need me to help keep them moving forward in getting the job done. Teach me that the good Samaritan continued to lead the way in seeing to it that this damaged and abused man was taken care of.

Luke 10:36 (NIV) “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” Jesus, help me NOT be like the other two who may have really felt sorry for the man; they may have thanked God that, that didn’t happen to them. Help that NOT be my reaction to other people’s problems. Help me not typically feel like these things only happen to those who deserve it. Help me NOT decide that if the man had been more careful, he wouldn’t have had it happen to him. Show me that there are a lot of reasons that may come into my mind that help me justify me not taking faith-action.

Jesus, help me NOT be too busy, NOT have a schedule I have to meet, NOT feel like I don’t have the resources needed, NOT feel like maybe someone else is better suited, and NOT have a lot of other excuses for not taking faith-action and getting involved. Jesus, You said that the good Samaritan was the one who loved his neighbor as himself; help me follow his example.

Luke 10:37 (NIV) The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Jesus, it’s not like I can’t see the needs of the people around me; it’s not like I can’t figure out what I SHOULD be doing; show me that it is a matter of me using my two tool sets and getting Your training and power to do what I know I should do. Teach me that faith-action is the main reason I use all the other parts of my two tool sets. Show me that if I don’t get the things of the Bible flowing in and through my life, then Christianity will be just a theoretical religion. All the promises and blessings of God will remain on the pages of the Bible. All I am able to do is “window shop.” I will just get to read about all the wonderful things of God happening to those people during Bible times.

Luke 6:38 (NIV) Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Let faith-action get the blessings of God flowing into my life as I get involved in other people’s lives.