"A man was going down
from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by 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
him. So too, a Levite. 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, brought
him to an inn and took care of him. The next day, the Samaritan took out two
denarii 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.'
Now which of these three do
you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? The
expert of the law replied, 'the one that had mercy on him.'
Jesus told him, Go
and do likewise.” – Luke
10:25-37
Hundreds of times in the
Bible, it is mentioned that we must live to love and serve others. Christ
himself states that to inherit eternal life we must love and serve our God and
others, one-to-one. (Luke 10:27) Jesus conducted many acts of service from
washing the disciples' feet to the ultimate act of kindness by giving His life
for us. But the greatest detail of these conducts was that Jesus did not do it
for fame of recognition; He did it out of love. But in what way, shape or form
can we do for others?
Sometimes, the smallest
acts of kindness can mean the most. Write a friendly note for your neighbor. Buy
lunch for a friend. Talk to a senior citizen. Read to a kid. Because a
small act of kindness a day can change the world.
“For I was hungry and you
gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to
drink. I was a stranger and you let me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me.
I was sick and looked after me. I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the
righteous said, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or as a stranger
or sick or in prison? And He replied, Truly, I tell you. Whatever you did for
others, you did for Me.” – Matthew 25:45