Luke 10:25-37
25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27 He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”
29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
“The one who showed him mercy.”
The Oxford Dictionary defines “mercy” as compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.
To show mercy is to willingly set aside our right to retaliate or punish someone who has done wrong. Showing mercy requires humility and compassion.
The minute we enter into debate about whether or not someone deserves our help, we’ve moved from the Reign of God to the Kingdom of this World. The minute we allow ourselves to view any other human being as unworthy to receive comfort and care, we have compromised our own humanity. The minute we deny another person’s basic human dignity, we have defiled ourselves.
The fine, upstanding citizens who passed by the injured man on the road chose not to help him. The foreigner who was not welcome there himself recognized a fellow person in need and acted accordingly. Go and do likewise.
Prayer: Lord Jesus: We argue and fight over the arbitrary lines that we, ourselves, draw between those who are worthy and those who are not. Lord, have mercy upon us all. AMEN