I want to finish up our look at love with a parable that Jesus taught about taking the theoretical and making it practical.

Take time to slowly read and meditate on the following familiar passage usually referred to as the story of “The Good Samaritan.”

Luke 10:25-37
And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?”
And he answered, “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE.”
But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead.
“And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
“Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
“But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion,
and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him.
“On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’
“Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?”
And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

Now reread the passage and record the thoughts, questions and insights that come to mind as the Lord speaks to you through His word and by His Spirit.

I was talking with my son’s Fenn Philip, Josiah and Jacob yesterday and we were having an honest discussion about our desire to see God’s supernatural work and to know His presence in a more powerful and real way. As I thought about this later in the day I sensed the weight and reality of yesterday’s passage of “For now we see in a mirror dimly” and “now I know in part.” Perhaps, I don’t “see” and “know” His work, power and presence because I see everything through fleshly eyes and not spiritual eyes. I am looking for an immediate return on my investment. I want to see results instead of seeing the God of results.

Did the man who was attacked experience God’s presence and power? If so, how?

Did the Good Samaritan experience God’s presence and power? If so, how?

Jesus doesn’t even speak to the impact of the Good Samaritans actions on the man he helped or on the Good Samaritan Himself. Perhaps Love is doing the most practical and humble things in life to the people present in our lives with no need to get anything back in return, knowing we can trust God to do an amazing and powerful work with one little seed of love.