In Luke 10, Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan in response to a lawyer who asks, “Who is my neighbor?” The question was especially charged in a time when hostility toward outsiders was strong. Jesus describes a man who is beaten, robbed, and left half-dead on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. A priest and a Levite both see him but pass by, while the unexpected hero, a Samaritan, someone the audience would have viewed with animosity and suspicion, responds with compassion. He moves toward the injured man, provides care and companionship, takes him somewhere he can receive further help, and promises to return. All three men see the same need, but only the Samaritan allows compassion to move him into action.

While we often interpret this story as a lesson about being a good person and helping others, for much of church history, the parable was also understood as a picture of the gospel. We are like the man lying helpless in the ditch, unable to rescue ourselves. Jesus is the Good Samaritan who comes to us in our brokenness, meets us with compassion, and begins to heal our wounds. Our first invitation is not to become the Good Samaritan, but to receive the goodness of Jesus. As we experience his love and healing, we are then invited to love others in the same way. This is not something we accomplish through our willpower; the Holy Spirit gives us his presence and power as we grow. Becoming people who reflect the compassion of Jesus is a lifelong journey of being healed, formed, and trained to love. And as we become more like Jesus, we embody his love with those we might otherwise overlook or exclude.

1. Often the Good Samaritan is viewed in our cultural context as a story modeling good ethics. Instead Tony revealed that for the first 1500 years of church history, the story was modeling the gospel, showing Jesus to be the rescuing and healing Good Samaritan. How does this illuminate the story in a different way?

2. The injured man was helpless and unable to rescue himself. Where in your life do you feel needy, wounded, or overwhelmed right now? What might it look like to allow Jesus to meet you with compassion rather than feeling that you need to fix everything yourself?

3. The priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan all saw the same injured man, but they responded differently. What might cause us to overlook someone's needs or pass by when we could help?

4. How does receiving Jesus' grace change the way you respond to the needs and brokenness of others? Where do you need the Holy Spirit's help to love more like Jesus?

5. Becoming more like Jesus is a process, not an overnight transformation. Where might Jesus be inviting you to receive healing or grow in compassion? What is one small step you could take this week toward becoming a person who reflects his love?

If you feel like you are drowning in need: Ask Jesus to meet you in your helplessness, show you his compassion, and begin to heal your wounds.

If you have the capacity to help others right now: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your blind spots, show you the people you may be overlooking, and guide you toward a more compassionate response.