Service – Service That Crosses Boundaries (365/254)
We often find it easier to help people we know, understand or feel connected to. How willing are we to help someone from a different background or someone we would rather avoid?
My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:18)
In Luke 10, Jesus tells the story of a man travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho who is attacked by robbers and left half dead. A priest and a Levite see him but pass by on the other side. Then a Samaritan, belonging to a group despised by the Jews, stops to help. He bandages the man’s wounds, takes him to an inn and pays for his care (v25-37). The Samaritan does more than feel pity; he acts, sacrificing his time and resources to care for a stranger. While those expected to show compassion walk past, this unlikely outsider demonstrates what love in action looks like.
As John reminds us, the heart of Christian service is love “in deed and in truth.” Though we cannot respond to every need, we can choose not to ignore the person God places before us. Service can mean giving our time, sharing our resources, offering practical help or simply staying when it would be easier to walk away.
Pause and Ponder
Whose needs am I tempted to overlook because they are unfamiliar or inconvenient?
What resources, time or abilities can I offer to someone who needs help?
What practical step can I take today to turn compassion into service?
May we respond to Jesus’ command, “Go and do likewise,” in obedience, allowing His compassion to spur us into action.
Lord Jesus, free me from indifference and prejudice, and teach me to serve with Your compassion, generosity and courage, even when it is costly. Amen.
Extended Reading: Luke 10:25-37
Tomorrow, let’s discover Phoebe’s example of supporting God’s work.
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