Luke 10

Scripture Focus:
“He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’”
— Luke 10:37 (NRSVUE)

Reflection

In Luke 10, a lawyer tests Jesus with a question: “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus responds, not with a rule, but with a story—a story about a road, a wounded traveler, and unexpected mercy.

A priest and a Levite pass by, but it is a Samaritan—someone from a group despised and distrusted—who stops. He tends the man’s wounds, carries him to safety, and pays for his care. This story, which we know so well, still unsettles us because it pushes us beyond comfort into compassion.

When Jesus says, “Go and do likewise,” He’s calling us to a love that crosses boundaries, that interrupts our plans, and that recognizes the image of God in every person we meet. Advent is not only about waiting for Christ to come—it’s about becoming His presence in the world.

When we choose mercy over judgment, compassion over convenience, and love over indifference, we live the very heart of the Christmas story: Emmanuel, God with us.

Prayer

God of compassion,
You remind us that love is not a feeling but a way of life.
Open our eyes to see the needs around us—
the wounded, the weary, the forgotten.
Give us hearts that stop, hands that serve,
and courage to cross the boundaries that divide.
May our lives reflect the mercy of Christ,
who came near to us when we were in need.
Amen.

Practice

Today, be intentional about noticing someone you might normally overlook—
a neighbor, a coworker, a stranger at the store.
Offer a simple act of kindness: a smile, a word of encouragement, a helping hand.

If you want to go deeper, take time to reach out to someone who might feel “on the side of the road” in your world—
someone who is lonely, grieving, or burdened.
Even the smallest gesture of care can become a glimpse of God’s mercy.

Copyright © 2025 Ronda Welander