September 30: Be a Good Neighbor

Read Luke 10:25-37

It was Friday morning, and Kara was walking to school. Her head was full of thoughts of the upcoming weekend. There's the big game tonight and a party Saturday night. Sunday there's a pizza fund-raiser at church to raise money for summer camp. It's going to be a great weekend. I can't wait.

All of a sudden, her thoughts were interrupted by someone crying for help. She stopped. There, by the car—someone was holding his bleeding head in his hands.

She realized that she didn't know him, but that he was a gang-banger. A member of a group that she and her friends avoided and shunned. They were different, not like her or her circle of friends.

What should I do? Her adrenaline started pumping; her breathing grew faster.

In the dim recesses of her memory, Kara had a vague recollection of a story that Jesus told. What was it—the Good Samaritan? There was an eerie similarity between Jesus' story and this situation.

She made a decision. She had no choice. She had to help. She swung the straps of her backpack over her shoulders and headed for the injured person.

Think About It

Just about everyone knows about the Good Samaritan. Even if they don't know the story from the Gospel of Luke, most people know that a Good Samaritan is someone who helps people who can't help themselves.

You never know when you may find yourself in a situation where God offers you the chance to be a neighbor to someone in need. When the opportunity presents itself, don't pass it up. If you do, you may be making a big mistake. That's not just your neighbor lying by the side of the road. In a sense, it's Jesus himself (read Matthew 25:40).

Pray About It

God of love, help me to remember the story of the Good Samaritan. When I see someone in trouble, don't let me forget that when I help my neighbor in need, I'm helping you, too.

Daily Reading Plan—Read Romans 12

God's Word for Students.