Being Gracious To All

 God created us in love and desires that we love Him with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, with all our mind, and that we love our neighbour as ourselves.  

 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you, love your enemies.  Pray for those who treat you badly.  (Matthew 5:43-44 ERV)

 
To illustrate who His neighbour was Jesus told a story about a man who was traveling between two cities. He was beaten up by a gang of robbers who left him half dead.  Two people saw the man lying on the side of the road and did not stop to help him.  The third person who came along was a Samaritan.  The Jews despised the Samaritans.  However, the Samaritan stopped and helped the injured man.  He cleansed the man’s wounds with oil and wine and bound them up, set the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn.  He paid the inn keeper to take care of him until his return and was willing to pay any extra costs incurred.  

When Jesus asked the religious scholar which one was a neighbour to the injured man, he replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”  Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

 “What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?”  “The one who treated him kindly,” the religion scholar responded.  Jesus said, “Go and do the same.”  (Luke 10:36-37 MSG) 

 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.  (Luke 6:31 NLT)

Prayer:  Loving God, In Your amazing love and grace You have brought me to new life in You.  Help me to be alert to my neighbour’s needs and to take the time to stop and listen and help when I can.  Help me to be more like Jesus.  Amen

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