‘Tested.’ When we read that today it comes off harsh and disrespectful but when you look at the ancient Greek it actually means a sincere seeker is asking a sincere question. When I read that in my research today (using Blue Letter Bible resources) it reminded me how Jesus was okay and welcomed people who questioned, especially someone like the lawyer in Luke 10.Obviously if Jesus is okay with a a lawyer that is well versed in Jewish law to seek and sincerely question, Jesus welcomes me to do the same. 

Questioning & Seeking

When we meet someone we typically ask them questions: what do you do for work, where did you grow up, what are your hobbies? That means if we want to get to know God more then we should learn from this lawyer to do just that, ask! When we don’t understand something, ask and take it to God. Now here’s the hard part, we have to be willing to slow down and listen for God’s answer. It may not come right away and most likely it will not be the answer we anticipate or want but it’s important that we recognize and know God’s voice. We can only know God’s true voice by learning more about His character through stories like Luke 10 in the bible.

The lawyer asks Jesus what he should do to ‘inherit eternal life’ to which Jesus replies ‘What’s written in the law’ because here Jesus knows the lawyer already knows the answer. The answer the lawyer gives is to ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself.’ So the lawyer knew the law but was not truly living it yet and Jesus knew that, He was trying to point that our to him as a good teacher would. (Luke 10:25-29)

‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Those are weighty words! I know for me personally those words are really easy to say but to put them into action is a whole other thing and that is what I feel like Jesus was getting at here for the lawyer too. We can’t just say the words but we must put them into action. Love is an action word. When we look up the definition of ‘love’ of course we recognize that it is a noun as well as a verb but I think Jesus is trying to tell the lawyer and us that the action behind love goes a little deeper than Meriam-Webster tell us.

The People Who Passed By

Jesus goes on to tell the lawyer a parable of the good Samaritan to reveal that action of love. In the parable there is a man who was robbed and beaten by thieves. This man was on the side of the road needing help obviously as Jesus said he was left ‘half dead’ even. A priest came by, a man who knew the law and perhaps even passed by the man due to trying to follow a cleanliness law (avoiding the blood as a priest) or perhaps he passed over this man for other reasons but regardless he passes by him knowing that he needed help. Then a Levite comes by the man next, looked at the man taking in the state of need he would clearly be showing, and decided to ‘pass by on the other side’ of the road. Two people who would know ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ clearly passes up the opportunity to do just that.

Love Stopped

It is not until a Samaritan, a man who would have been despised by the Jews at the time, stopped to help the man. The fact that the Samaritan stopped to help was amazing but even more so are the steps he does after going well beyond helping. The Samaritan truly showed the action of ‘love’ when he put him on his animal (most likely a donkey or mule), took him to an inn to give him further help and took care of him by making sure the inn had enough money so the man could stay. But wait there’s more! The man tells the inn keeper that he will come back and pay anything else the man may need while he is gone. WOW! That is neighborly love on a whole other level and one I strive for.

Seeing MYSELF on the Road

Unfortunately, I know I’ve been the priest and Levite myself. There have been times I am being called to show love to others, to put that word ‘love’ into real action. However, I respond to God’s whispers to move in love with excuses to why I can’t. 

“Someone else will help.”

“I don’t really have the ability or means to help them.”

“I’ve got other people I need to help out, my family and friends. I just can’t right now.”

“They will ask for help if they need me.”

“I don’t know it could be dangerous. I can’t.”

All excuses that I’ve told myself for sure. As I type them out today, I cringe. I can’t believe that those have all been thoughts in my mind and if I’m being honest on more than one occasion. But here’s the thing, God loves me still! God put this parable from Jesus in my reading today, He wanted me to hear its message. God is nudging and pushing me to be the good Samaritan more often. I won’t be perfect but I know God will continue to nudge and whisper to me when it is my turn to bend down, put someone on my donkey, take them into the inn, and pay for them.

‘Go and do likewise’ Luke 10:37

See you in the next post,

with faith and a little fur 🐾

Melanie Drews

Paws on God’s Path