October 27, 2025 

Luke 10:25–37 – Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan, showing that true neighborly love crosses boundaries and acts with mercy.

Devotional:

When the expert in the law asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” he was really asking, “How far does love have to go?” Jesus answered with a story that showed what love without boundaries truly looks like—a love that crosses every fence we try to build.

A man was beaten and left for dead on the road. The priest and Levite—religious men who knew the law by heart—passed by without stopping. But a Samaritan, someone despised and dismissed by Jewish society, stopped. He didn’t see an enemy or a stranger. He saw a neighbor. He bandaged wounds, gave up time and money, and promised to come back. Love, in that moment, crossed every dividing line.

It’s no accident that Jesus chose a Samaritan as the hero of the story. The point wasn’t just to encourage kindness—it was to challenge prejudice. The priest and Levite represented a love constrained by comfort. The Samaritan represented a love compelled by compassion. One was cautious, the other courageous. One protected his reputation, the other risked it.

Jesus was clear: that’s what neighborly love looks like. It doesn’t ask, “Who deserves my compassion?” It asks, “Who needs it right now?” Real love doesn’t look at categories. It looks at need. It doesn’t worry about who’s watching. It simply acts.

We live in a world that’s really good at drawing boundaries—between races, politics, religions, and neighborhoods. But discipleship rooted in love refuses to stay inside the lines. Outreach that reflects Jesus doesn’t start with sameness; it starts with mercy. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho runs through every community, and people are still lying wounded on its shoulder—some in body, some in spirit.

The question for us isn’t whether we know the story. It’s whether we’re willing to live it. The church is most like Jesus when it crosses the road, not when it crosses its arms.

Action:

Look for one person today who’s been ignored, overlooked, or excluded. Cross the road toward them—whether with a word, a meal, or a prayer.

Prayer:

Lord, teach me to love past the boundaries I’ve built. When I see someone in need, give me courage to stop, compassion to act, and faith to trust You with the rest. Help me see every person as my neighbor and every moment as a chance to show Your mercy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Thought for the Day:

Love doesn’t ask who deserves it—it asks who needs it.