June 25 | Psalm 34:1-8

---

DAILY READING

Psalm 34:1-8

---

REFLECTION

He Saved Him Out of All His Troubles

by Dan Kidd

"This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles."

When Jesus finished the parable of the "good Samaritan," he asks the "expert in the law," which of these three men (the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan) which of these was a neighbor to the man who'd been robbed and brutalized. The law expert replied what was obvious, " the one who had mercy on him." And Jesus responds "Go and do likewise."

Jesus meant go and be a neighbor like the Samaritan in the parable. But, let us not miss that the Samaritan was doing what the Lord would do. I think it is quite safe for us to believe that had Jesus encountered this poor man in the parable, robbed and beaten, that Jesus would have done precisely what the Samaritan did--meet him and attend to him in his need. Because that is the Lord's nature: to meet us in our need, [care for us, advocate for us, and provide for us]. The Samaritan loved his neighbor the way God intends for love to be. The Samaritan was, in this instance, the hands of feet of the Lord's. He loved and cared for the man left beaten.

In Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth, he writes "follow my example (or imitate me), as I follow the example of (or imitate) Christ." When Jesus directs the law expert to go and do like the Samaritan, what he also means is go and imitate this behavior of the Samaritan as the Samaritan has imitated God. Because it is God's nature to hear the cries of the poor, the needy, the harmed, fearful, and suffering, and to respond with healing and care. Our passage from Psalm 34 speaks this very word. The Lord hears our cries--every one of them--and the Lord who loves us saves us. It is because we have been saved by Christ that we can be trained and transformed into those who would, like the Samaritan, respond in the kind of love we were created to share--the kind of love we have received from the Lord.

"Let the afflicted hear and rejoice [...] let us exalt his name together." Because of Christ, we can be attentive, responsive, and kind to those around us in need--being like the Samaritan--and we can rejoice along with them that the Lord's kindness and care has touched us, saved us, because we are his beloved. Indeed, let us rejoice and exalt his name who has so loved us.

PRAYER

Lord, remind us again and hear our thanksgiving, for the many ways that you have loved us, cared for us, and saved us. It is because of you, because we live in you and you live in us, that we can love our neighbors as you've created us to do. Give eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts that are moved to compassion that we may be good, Kingdomly neighbors to those around us.

June 24 | Leviticus 19:33-37

---

DAILY READING

Leviticus 19:33-37

---

REFLECTION

Relationships with Foreigners

by Pr. Dave Mann

The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), yesterday’s text, is perhaps the most well-known of all Jesus’ parables. It is even more interesting when we understand the Geo-political context of the Samaritans and Jews. The region of Samaria was situated between Judea and Galilee, regions inhabited by Jews. The road between Jericho and Jerusalem, the setting for the parable, was in Judea. So, the Samaritan who cared for the victimized man was not in his homeland. He was a foreigner.

Some of the laws of the Jews, pertaining to relationships with foreigners in the land, were laid out in Leviticus 19:33-37. Treat the foreigners with the same respect as the native-born. Love them as yourself. Use honest weights and measures – no cheating on business deals with foreigners even if you could get away with it, because they are not in the know about all the ways that business is normally conducted. And why should this be done? Because the Israelites were also foreigners themselves when they were living in Egypt.

In the parable, the Levite and the priest were in their homeland, Judea, but they did not show concern for the victim. Ironically, even though the Samaritan was a foreigner and thus was the most vulnerable, he was the one who cared for the victim. The Samaritan, though he was likely unfamiliar with the intricacies of the Jewish law, was the one who followed God’s will.

We, too, have numerous opportunities to show kindness to foreigners, many of whom have entered this country legally. We can help them register for English classes, find a job, understand workers’ rights, get children registered for school, learn about school bus pick-up and drop-off, become familiar with renters’ responsibilities and rights, and much more. Just being a friend with a warm smile goes a long way.

All of us have had helpers in our life’s journeys. We can be such helpers for foreigners whom God brings into our lives.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, please help me to be compassionate with those whose paths you cause to cross ours. Help me to be patient and loving, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

June 23 | Luke 10:25-37

---

DAILY READING

Luke 10:25-37

---

REFLECTION

My Neighbor

by Elaine Pierce

I've never been to Jerusalem, so I found this description of the road from Jerusalem to Jericho helpful as we look at this familiar parable.

I remember when Mrs. King and I were first in Jerusalem. We rented a car and drove from Jerusalem down to Jericho. And as soon as we got on that road, I said to my wife, "I can see why Jesus used this as the setting for his parable." It's a winding, meandering road. It's really conducive for ambushing. You start out in Jerusalem, which is about 1,200 miles—or rather 1,200 feet above sea level. And by the time you get down to Jericho, fifteen or twenty minutes later, you're about 2,200 feet below sea level. That's a dangerous road.

— Martin Luther King Jr., "I've Been to the Mountaintop." (April 3, 1968)

Yes, this was a dangerous road - plenty of opportunities for robbers to ambush innocent travelers. Jesus' audience would be very familiar with this road, and they would have been shocked that a hated Samaritan was the one who stopped and helped the injured man. A Samaritan! Their dreaded enemy! The "expert in the law" who asked Jesus "who is my neighbor?" was certainly not expecting a story like this. Jesus surprises his listeners and doesn't fall into the trap the lawyer tries to set for him. He turns the tables, and his questioner is forced to admit that "the one who had mercy on him" was his neighbor.

So who is my neighbor? Who is your neighbor? Ask God to give you eyes to see those whose paths you cross this week who need grace, mercy, and love. Jesus told the man to "go and do likewise." A simple command, but often easy to miss in the busyness of our scheduled lives. Ask God to give you a "Good Samaritan" moment. And thank him for the opportunity to have mercy. What a good God we serve!

PRAYER

Lord, I want to be a good neighbor, but so often I get caught up in serving myself above others. Help me this week to serve my neighbors, near and far, and to show mercy to those in need. Amen.