“All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” Tertullian, an early church theologian, boasted in one of his works that this statement of Jesus had become a fact. Even their enemies, writes Tertullian, marveled: “look how they love one another.”
Think of a Christian you consider compassionate. What stands out to you about that person?
Personal Reflection. Who has shown you compassion? Praise God for that person’s grace in your life.
Unfortunately the church has not always been marked by compassion and self-sacrifice. Far too often we speak of love but fail to back our words with deeds of kindness and mercy. We need to drink deeply from the simple but profound message of the story of the good Samaritan. Its familiarity has so weakened its impact that it is seen as an exception rather than the norm for the citizens of the kingdom of God. As you read this passage, imagine that you are hearing it from Jesus himself for the first time. Read Luke 10:25–37.
