In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 we read: “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing” (American Standard Version).

The apostle Paul here tests our love quotient on three levels:

    * Does your love only speak eloquently without being ratified by deeds?
    * Is your love purely an intellectual concept?
    * Is it merely a photo opportunity or a show to get applause?

News-making acts of philanthropy and self-sacrifice are merely that (news-making), if they are done from ulterior motives and not from genuine love. As the saying goes, “You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving.”

Take a fresh look at the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). The parable demonstrates the principle of true godly, unconditional love. It also teaches us that God is more impressed with our living the law of love than merely believing or preaching it. The Gospels record two men coming to Christ on different occasions to inquire of Him the way to eternal life. One was a rich, young man (Matthew 19:16-22) and the other was a legal expert (Luke 10:25-29).

What must I do?

When we compare both passages, we see some startling similarities and differences. The first thing we notice is that both men had the same question: “What must I do to gain eternal life?” But while the young man genuinely wanted to know the answer, the lawyer was just trying to test or try Jesus.

The second thing we see is that Christ showed there is only one way and that was to keep God’s commandments! (See Matthew 19:17.) Notice in Luke 10:26, Jesus answered the fool according to his folly by essentially saying: “You are the legal expert. What’s your interpretation of the law?” The lawyer correctly summarized the law as love toward God (Deuteronomy 6:5) and love for your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18). The young man, like many elusive Christians today, wanted to know which of the Ten Commandments were relevant for him to keep.

A third point to note is that while the young man realized there was a need to do more than just keep the commandments, the lawyer sought to justify or acquit himself from personal responsibility to his fellow man. He did this by attempting to engage Christ in semantics on the word “neighbor” (Luke 10:29). Jesus went on to explain in Matthew 19:21 two extras steps required to gain eternal life:

   1. Self-sacrifice (“sell what you have and give to the poor”).
   2. Self-denial and commitment (“come follow Me”). Mark, in his account, adds: “Take up the cross, and follow Me” (Mark 10:21).

This is the same commitment we are called to make when we decide to follow Christ (Luke 14:26-27, 33).

At the end of this discussion, we see both men fail the test of true discipleship. The rich, young man failed because he was too materialistic. His priority was misplaced on his wealth. The legal expert failed because he was legalistic. He preached the word but did not practice it. That is hypocrisy.

Who is my neighbor?

In the concluding part of the story in Luke 10:30-37; Christ followed up on the legal expert’s question about who was defined as his neighbor. Christ magnified the law by using a parable to explain who is a neighbor and how we should show love to our neighbor. In this familiar story a man is robbed, beaten and left for dead on the roadside. A priest passed by and avoided him by crossing the street and continuing on his way on the other side. A Levite came by, looked curiously and then walked right on by too. But a Samaritan came by, picked up the unfortunate crime victim, took him to a hotel and took care of him.

This story should make us ask ourselves some soul-searching questions. Am I like the priest, (who completely avoided the victim) when I see someone in difficulty? His was an apathetic attitude of noninvolvement. Perhaps he was too busy, concerned with what he viewed to be more important matters. Maybe he just considered himself too good to get his hands dirty with the blood of a wounded stranger.

The Levite was a typical curiosity-seeker. He just wanted to see who or what was suffering but had no interest in helping. His behavior is so typical of many motorists on our highways who are more intrigued with looking at a mangled car in a ditch than they are in stopping to see if or how they can help the unfortunate fellow motorist.

Fortunately, not everyone is like this. Jesus used a most unlikely character, a Samaritan, as the one who showed what it is to be a good neighbor and to love. People from whom we expect the least oftentimes give the most. Those who have been victimized and later shown compassion are usually more apt to identify with others who are suffering.

The Jews despised the Samaritans. Yet it was this despised and rejected Samaritan who came to the rescue of the crime victim.

Show love in deed

In telling the parable of this humble Samaritan, Jesus preached the greatest sermon ever on how to love your neighbor by practicing compassion toward a stranger in need.
He practiced love firsthand. He didn’t love at a distance or through an agency. He took personal responsibility for this victim in need. He went the extra mile by not only caring for him overnight in the inn, but also making arrangements to pay any additional expenses incurred for his extended care. That is true godly, unconditional love and compassion in action!

We have all heard stories of good Samaritans. We probably even know people who have risked life and limb to help others in distress. We may have even been good Samaritans ourselves at one time or another. Still, there are three important lessons we can learn from good Samaritan situations:

    * Don’t refuse to help when you are able (Proverbs 3:27).
    * Never assume someone else will do it. Take personal responsibility.
    * You may suffer for doing well, but it is truly worth it (1 Peter 3:17; Matthew 5:10).

Next time you have an opportunity to serve someone in need (a motorist in distress on the highway, a person under a cloud of depression, a friend in a financial bind, a single parent being overwhelmed by a rebellious child, a stressed-out coworker…) what will your reaction be? Will you be the religious law-speaking type or the proactive law-living type?

The message of the parable is very clear: Being a good neighbor and showing love by doing, are more honorable than merely speaking about love. Franklin D. Roosevelt said in his inaugural address: “In the field of world policy, I would dedicate this nation [the United States of America] to the policy of a good neighbor.” Jesus’ instruction to us is simple, yet profound: “Go and do likewise!”