February 1, 2026
In Luke 10:33-35, Jesus tells a story about a man who is hurt, alone, and left on the side of the road. Several people see him and keep going. One person stops. The Samaritan notices the pain in front of him and lets it interrupt his plans. He offers care, time, and follow-through. Through this moment, Jesus shows that God’s heart is revealed not through religious appearance, but through compassion that shows up when it’s inconvenient.
Devotional: Most of us don’t think of ourselves as unkind. We hold doors open. We say please and thank you. We care about people. And yet, many days feel like a constant rush from one responsibility to the next. The calendar is full. The phone won’t stop buzzing. The mental to-do list never really ends. In that kind of pace, it’s easy to step around other people’s pain without meaning to.
That’s what makes this story feel so close to home. The people who walk past the injured man aren’t cruel. They’re busy. They’re focused. They have places to be. And honestly, that sounds familiar. We pass by suffering all the time. The coworker who seems a little quieter than usual. The neighbor whose yard has gone untouched for weeks. The friend who says “I’m fine” a little too quickly. We notice, but we keep moving because stopping feels like something we don’t have time for.
The Samaritan stops not because he’s better, but because he allows himself to be interrupted. He doesn’t analyze the situation or calculate the cost before acting. He responds to what’s right in front of him. He kneels down, tends wounds, rearranges his plans, and commits to coming back. Mercy doesn’t look heroic here. It looks practical. It looks like showing up.
Jesus tells this story because He knows how easily faith can become something we fit around our lives instead of something that shapes them. We can pray, attend worship, and still avoid getting involved in the messy parts of other people’s lives. Not because we don’t care, but because caring deeply feels exhausting. Mercy costs energy. Justice takes attention. Humility means admitting we don’t always have the bandwidth we wish we did.
What Jesus reveals in this story is that God shows up in those interruptions. God isn’t found in keeping everything tidy and on schedule. God is revealed when love slows us down enough to notice someone else’s pain. That’s uncomfortable because it means faith won’t always fit neatly into our routines.
The Good Samaritan doesn’t fix everything. He doesn’t solve the system that made the road unsafe. He simply does what he can in that moment. That’s often all we’re asked to do. Not to save the world, but to show up faithfully where we are.
Today, you might not encounter someone lying on the side of the road. But you will encounter someone who needs patience, kindness, or presence. And in that moment, Jesus is still inviting us to stop.
Action: Notice one moment today when you’re tempted to rush past someone’s need. If possible, slow down and offer presence, even briefly, through a kind word, a check-in, or a small act of care.
Prayer: Jesus, we live in a world that pushes us to hurry and protect our time. Teach us to notice the people around us and the moments where love asks us to slow down. Give us hearts that respond with mercy, lives shaped by justice, and spirits grounded in humility. Help us reflect You in the ordinary ways we show up for others. In Your name we pray, amen.
Thought for the Day: Sometimes faith looks like stopping when everything else tells you to keep going.
Life moves fast, and it’s easy to rush past the needs right in front of us. Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan reminds us that God is revealed when love slows us down enough to notice and respond. This devotional reflects on faith that shows up in ordinary interruptions.
