The Parables Of Christ Pt 9 - The Neighbor You Never Expected - The Good Samaritan
Daily Devotional June 30th - July 4th
Day 1 – Monday, June 30, 2025
Seeing Beyond Labels
Reading: Luke 10:25–37 (ESV)
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”
27 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.”
28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.
32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.
34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.
35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’
36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”
37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
Devotional:
The parable of the Good Samaritan is a direct challenge to how we see people. Jesus deliberately chooses a Samaritan—a person regarded by Jews as religiously and ethnically inferior—to be the hero. By doing so, Jesus tears down the assumptions of His listeners and forces them to confront the prejudice hiding beneath their religiosity.
In our modern context, we may not see Samaritans walking our streets, but we all carry labels—mental categories we use to sort people into "us" and "them." They may be political, cultural, racial, economic, or even theological. The problem isn’t simply that we notice differences. The problem is when those differences determine how we value people.
Jesus doesn’t want us to define who qualifies for love. He wants us to see every human being as inherently valuable—created in the image of God. And the only way to do that is to surrender our assumptions and ask Him to give us new eyes.
Reflection:
Who have you subconsciously labeled as unworthy of your time, empathy, or compassion? What might change in your life if you saw others through the lens of grace rather than judgment?
Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for the ways I have placed labels on others and withheld compassion. Help me to see with Your eyes—to recognize Your image in every person I encounter. Let my love reflect Your heart, especially toward those I find difficult to love. Amen.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Day 2 – Tuesday, July 1, 2025
The Danger of Religious Knowledge Without Compassion
Reading: Matthew 23:23–28 (ESV)
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness.
28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Devotional:
One of the most uncomfortable aspects of the parable is that the priest and the Levite—both religious leaders well-versed in Scripture—are the ones who fail to help. Their failure wasn't because they didn't know what God's law required, but because their knowledge didn't lead to action.
Jesus critiques this same spirit in Matthew 23. The Pharisees had mastered the art of religious performance but had abandoned the core of God’s heart: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. They obsessed over external appearances while neglecting the weightier, messier work of love.
We face the same danger. It's entirely possible to be theologically precise but spiritually bankrupt. To attend church, quote Scripture, and still cross the street when someone is bleeding. The call of Christ is not simply to believe rightly but to live rightly.
Reflection:
Where have you allowed spiritual knowledge to become a substitute for compassion? What’s one area of your life where you can trade performance for presence today?
Prayer:
Father, I don’t want to be someone who knows truth but fails to live it. Let Your Word take root in my heart so that it overflows in love and mercy. Teach me to prioritize what You prioritize—not appearance, but justice, compassion, and humility. Amen.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Day 3 – Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Costly, Embodied Love
Reading: 1 John 3:16–18 (ESV)
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?
18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
Devotional:
The Samaritan doesn’t just feel pity—he gets involved. He cleans wounds, offers transportation, pays for a room, and promises to return. His love is not theoretical. It is embodied, sacrificial, and specific. And it’s the kind of love John speaks of in his letter: not love in word only, but in deed and in truth.
Real love will cost us something. It may cost us time, convenience, comfort, or resources. But that’s the love Christ showed us. He entered into our pain, carried our burdens, and gave everything so we could be healed. The Good Samaritan points us to Jesus, and Jesus calls us to do the same.
Reflection:
Is your love more talk than action? Who in your life might need you to step beyond words and into tangible compassion this week?
Prayer:
Jesus, You loved me when it cost You everything. Give me the same heart to serve, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable. Teach me to love not just with words, but with actions that reflect Your mercy. Amen.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Day 4 – Thursday, July 3, 2025
Breaking Barriers of Fear and Prejudice
Reading: Ephesians 2:13–22 (ESV)
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.
18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,
21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by[b] the Spirit.
Devotional:
The Samaritan had every reason not to stop. The road was dangerous. The man was likely his cultural enemy. Helping could have led to misunderstanding or even harm. But he crossed every barrier to show mercy. Paul reminds us that Christ did the same for us. He destroyed the wall that separated humanity from God and from one another.
There are still many walls today—racial, political, economic, and even ecclesial. But followers of Jesus are called to be bridge-builders. We don’t wait for conditions to be safe or comfortable. We go where grace leads, even if it’s unfamiliar territory.
Reflection:
What fears or assumptions keep you from engaging people different from you? Where might God be calling you to cross a line in love this week?
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, expose the walls I’ve built in my heart. Help me to move toward people I’ve avoided. Let my life bear witness to the peace Jesus has made by making peace with others. Amen.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Day 5 – Friday, July 4, 2025
From Defining Neighbors to Becoming One
Reading: James 1:22–27 (ESV)
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
Devotional:
The lawyer's question at the start of the parable was, "Who is my neighbor?" But Jesus answers with a better one: "Who became a neighbor?" It’s not about determining who deserves love—it’s about becoming the kind of person who gives it.
James echoes this sentiment when he reminds us that true religion is not talk, but action. To care for the vulnerable. To keep our hearts soft. To live what we say we believe.
Being a neighbor isn't about convenience; it’s about calling. It means living alert to need, responsive to pain, and full of mercy—not because people have earned it, but because Christ has given it to us first.
Reflection:
In what specific way can you "do" the Word today? Who is God placing in your path that needs the kind of neighbor Jesus describes?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for becoming the ultimate Neighbor to me. Shape my life around Your love. Help me not just to know Your Word, but to live it. Make me a neighbor to all You send my way. Amen.
Seeing Beyond Labels
Reading: Luke 10:25–37 (ESV)
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”
27 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.”
28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.
32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.
34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.
35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’
36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”
37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
Devotional:
The parable of the Good Samaritan is a direct challenge to how we see people. Jesus deliberately chooses a Samaritan—a person regarded by Jews as religiously and ethnically inferior—to be the hero. By doing so, Jesus tears down the assumptions of His listeners and forces them to confront the prejudice hiding beneath their religiosity.
In our modern context, we may not see Samaritans walking our streets, but we all carry labels—mental categories we use to sort people into "us" and "them." They may be political, cultural, racial, economic, or even theological. The problem isn’t simply that we notice differences. The problem is when those differences determine how we value people.
Jesus doesn’t want us to define who qualifies for love. He wants us to see every human being as inherently valuable—created in the image of God. And the only way to do that is to surrender our assumptions and ask Him to give us new eyes.
Reflection:
Who have you subconsciously labeled as unworthy of your time, empathy, or compassion? What might change in your life if you saw others through the lens of grace rather than judgment?
Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for the ways I have placed labels on others and withheld compassion. Help me to see with Your eyes—to recognize Your image in every person I encounter. Let my love reflect Your heart, especially toward those I find difficult to love. Amen.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Day 2 – Tuesday, July 1, 2025
The Danger of Religious Knowledge Without Compassion
Reading: Matthew 23:23–28 (ESV)
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness.
28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Devotional:
One of the most uncomfortable aspects of the parable is that the priest and the Levite—both religious leaders well-versed in Scripture—are the ones who fail to help. Their failure wasn't because they didn't know what God's law required, but because their knowledge didn't lead to action.
Jesus critiques this same spirit in Matthew 23. The Pharisees had mastered the art of religious performance but had abandoned the core of God’s heart: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. They obsessed over external appearances while neglecting the weightier, messier work of love.
We face the same danger. It's entirely possible to be theologically precise but spiritually bankrupt. To attend church, quote Scripture, and still cross the street when someone is bleeding. The call of Christ is not simply to believe rightly but to live rightly.
Reflection:
Where have you allowed spiritual knowledge to become a substitute for compassion? What’s one area of your life where you can trade performance for presence today?
Prayer:
Father, I don’t want to be someone who knows truth but fails to live it. Let Your Word take root in my heart so that it overflows in love and mercy. Teach me to prioritize what You prioritize—not appearance, but justice, compassion, and humility. Amen.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Day 3 – Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Costly, Embodied Love
Reading: 1 John 3:16–18 (ESV)
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?
18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
Devotional:
The Samaritan doesn’t just feel pity—he gets involved. He cleans wounds, offers transportation, pays for a room, and promises to return. His love is not theoretical. It is embodied, sacrificial, and specific. And it’s the kind of love John speaks of in his letter: not love in word only, but in deed and in truth.
Real love will cost us something. It may cost us time, convenience, comfort, or resources. But that’s the love Christ showed us. He entered into our pain, carried our burdens, and gave everything so we could be healed. The Good Samaritan points us to Jesus, and Jesus calls us to do the same.
Reflection:
Is your love more talk than action? Who in your life might need you to step beyond words and into tangible compassion this week?
Prayer:
Jesus, You loved me when it cost You everything. Give me the same heart to serve, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable. Teach me to love not just with words, but with actions that reflect Your mercy. Amen.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Day 4 – Thursday, July 3, 2025
Breaking Barriers of Fear and Prejudice
Reading: Ephesians 2:13–22 (ESV)
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.
18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,
21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by[b] the Spirit.
Devotional:
The Samaritan had every reason not to stop. The road was dangerous. The man was likely his cultural enemy. Helping could have led to misunderstanding or even harm. But he crossed every barrier to show mercy. Paul reminds us that Christ did the same for us. He destroyed the wall that separated humanity from God and from one another.
There are still many walls today—racial, political, economic, and even ecclesial. But followers of Jesus are called to be bridge-builders. We don’t wait for conditions to be safe or comfortable. We go where grace leads, even if it’s unfamiliar territory.
Reflection:
What fears or assumptions keep you from engaging people different from you? Where might God be calling you to cross a line in love this week?
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, expose the walls I’ve built in my heart. Help me to move toward people I’ve avoided. Let my life bear witness to the peace Jesus has made by making peace with others. Amen.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Day 5 – Friday, July 4, 2025
From Defining Neighbors to Becoming One
Reading: James 1:22–27 (ESV)
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
Devotional:
The lawyer's question at the start of the parable was, "Who is my neighbor?" But Jesus answers with a better one: "Who became a neighbor?" It’s not about determining who deserves love—it’s about becoming the kind of person who gives it.
James echoes this sentiment when he reminds us that true religion is not talk, but action. To care for the vulnerable. To keep our hearts soft. To live what we say we believe.
Being a neighbor isn't about convenience; it’s about calling. It means living alert to need, responsive to pain, and full of mercy—not because people have earned it, but because Christ has given it to us first.
Reflection:
In what specific way can you "do" the Word today? Who is God placing in your path that needs the kind of neighbor Jesus describes?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for becoming the ultimate Neighbor to me. Shape my life around Your love. Help me not just to know Your Word, but to live it. Make me a neighbor to all You send my way. Amen.