Scripture Scribbles: July 10, 2022

the Gospel

Luke 10:25-37

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said,

"Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law?

How do you read it?"

He said in reply,

"You shall love the Lord, your God,

with all your heart,

with all your being,

with all your strength,

and with all your mind,

and your neighbor as yourself."

He replied to him, "You have answered correctly;

do this and you will live."

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,

"And who is my neighbor?"

Jesus replied,

"A man fell victim to robbers

as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.

They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.

A priest happened to be going down that road,

but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.

Likewise a Levite came to the place,

and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.

But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him

was moved with compassion at the sight.

He approached the victim,

poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.

Then he lifted him up on his own animal,

took him to an inn, and cared for him.

The next day he took out two silver coins

and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,

'Take care of him.

If you spend more than what I have given you,

I shall repay you on my way back.'

Which of these three, in your opinion,

was neighbor to the robbers' victim?"

He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy."

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

the devotion

“...passed by on the opposite side.”

Both the priest and the Levite not only passed by the wounded man, but they walked along the opposite side of the road. Jesus begins the story of the Good Samaritan after the scholar “wishing to justify himself” asks who his neighbor is.  I believe that it’s no accident that Jesus includes this small yet powerful detail in his telling of the parable.  What good would it have done the priest and the Levite to pass by on the opposite side? Why did they make this choice? They were as far away as possible from the wounded man. Maybe it would be easier to make it seem like they did not even see him. Maybe it would make it appear that they were too busy and focused on where they were headed to veer off course. We may not know the full reason they passed by on the opposite side, but we can see how this “out of sight out of mind” attitude and action led them to miss an opportunity to live and love like Jesus.

“...was moved with compassion at the sight.”

What a striking contrast this is! The Samaritan traveler saw the wounded man and approached him.  He did not steer clear of the disturbing sight.  He was filled with care and concern for this man and was moved from within. Why did the Samaritan move closer to the man and not just pass by? Why was he “moved with compassion?”  Where did that come from?  Maybe the Samaritan initially moved closer to the wounded man out of curiosity.  Maybe he felt like once he saw his pain, he could not walk away.  Maybe the Samaritan had an experience in his own life where someone showed him compassion and love. Again, we are not given a full backstory of this traveler, but what we do know is that he saw the man in need, moved closer, and was full of compassion that led him to love and help as Jesus would.

Lord, please open my eyes to see my brothers and sisters around me.  Keep me from the justifying actions of “walking on the opposite side of the road.”  Lead me in your love to move closer and share the compassion and love which have been so freely given to me.

Today’s devotion was written by Kaitlin Gilday