Crimson Thorn My Neighbor (luke 10: 27-37)
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test
Jesus.
"Teacher," he asked, "What must I do to inherit eternal
life?
"What is written in the law?" He replied.
"How do you read it?" He answered
"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 love your neighbor as yourself."
"You have answered correctly." Jesus replied.
"Do this and you will live."
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus
"And who is my neighbor?"
In reply, Jesus said-
"A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when
he fell into the hands of robbers.
They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went
away leaving him half dead.
A priest happened to be going down the same road, and
when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.
So too, a Levite, when he came to place and saw him,
passed by on the other side.
But a Samaritan as he traveled came to where the man
was, and when he saw him, he took pity on him.
He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil
and wine.
Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an
inn and took care of him.
The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them
to the innkeeper.
'Look after him,' he said.
'And when I return I will reimburse you for any extra
expense you may have.'"
"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to
the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" Jesus
asked.
The expert in law replied, "the one who had mercy on
him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."