Compassion

“But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was, and when he saw him, he had compassion on him.” Luke 10:33

Yesterday I was treated to lunch by Pastor Troy Gardner who is the West Coast Regional Director for Samaritan’s Purse. I first met Troy over a year ago when he shared with my church in Monterey. Samaritan’s Purse is a ministry of compassion that is on the front lines whenever a natural disaster strikes. At the start of Covid, they put up a hospital tent in Central Park. After Russia invaded Ukraine they set up a hospital tent in Kiev. Even today in Maui, they are ministering to those who have lost homes and businesses.

Samaritan’s Purse is derived from the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. In this story we are reminded of the Samaritan who stopped to help a man who was robbed and beaten. He easily could have looked the other way or passed by on the other side as the Levite and priest had done. After all, the victim was a Jew and in those days, Jews and Samaritans did not associate with each other. Any self-respecting Jew would rather walk several extra miles than risk running into a Samaritan and the Samaritans felt the same way.

In spite of that, the Samaritan reached out to help the Jew. He bandaged his wounds, put him on his own donkey, and took him to an inn. He even offered to pay for additional expenses the innkeeper might incur. He was willing to interrupt his schedule and use his own resources to help someone in need.

Why would this man stop and help when two religious leaders refused to do anything at all? What is it that drives many people today to lend a helping hand, open their homes, reach into their wallets, or interrupt their schedules to help someone in need? The answer is that they have compassion.

In this parable the question is asked, “who is my neighbor?” Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan reveals that it is not literally my next door neighbor that we are to help but rather “who can I be a neighbor to?” Who can I reach out in the name of Jesus and demonstrate compassion to?

Thought For Today: Are you following Christ’s example of showing compassion?

Today’s Prayer Focus: Thank God that He is a God of Compassion. Ask the Lord to help us show compassion to others in the same way that He has shown compassion to us.