Your Neighbor is a Person, Not a Prospect
Look After Them – Part 1

Scripture Reading:  Luke 14:7-14

Key Verse: Luke 10:35

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.’

f Jesus would have stopped His story with the fact that the Good Samaritan bandaged the poor fellow’s wounds, I think He would have made His point.  It seems to me that Jesus wanted to go deeper than simply teaching us to have moments of compassion.  I think Jesus wanted us to actually develop relationships with hurting people.  In Jesus’ story, the Good Samaritan came back to this inn and wanted to check up on the hurting person.  He promised the inn keeper that he would repay him for any additional expenses he might incur taking care of the wounded person.

In the next few days we are going to look at the fact that God wants us to see people as valued friends, not prospects.  Have you ever been treated like a prospect?  You undoubtedly have when you walk into a car dealership, for example.  They treat you like a friend.  They speak to you like you’re old buddies, but the truth is, you are simply a prospective consumer that will make them a little wealthier.

Jesus did not want His followers to see people as potential prospects—prospects that could do something for the kingdom.  Everything Jesus did while on this earth demonstrated that He saw people as eternally valuable people.  When they treated Him cruelly, Jesus simply asked the Father to forgive them!  (Continued)

Father, I want the people around me to love you but help me not to treat them as prospects.  Let your love flow through me.  In Jesus’ name, amen.