Spiritual Stretching

Published: Aug. 11, 2013, 10 a.m.

b'LUKE 10:25-37 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. \\u201cTeacher,\\u201d he asked, \\u201cwhat must I do to inherit eternal life?\\u201d 26 \\u201cWhat is written in the Law?\\u201d he replied. \\u201cHow do you read it?\\u201d 27 He answered: \\u201c \\u2018Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind\\u2019; and, \\u2018Love your neighbor as yourself.\\u2019\\u201d 28 \\u201cYou have answered correctly,\\u201d Jesus replied. \\u201cDo this and you will live.\\u201d 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, \\u201cAnd who is my neighbor?\\u201d 30 In reply Jesus said: \\u201cA man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. \\u2018Look after him,\\u2019 he said, \\u2018and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.\\u2019 36 \\u201cWhich of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?\\u201d 37 The expert in the law replied, \\u201cThe one who had mercy on him.\\u201d Jesus told him, \\u201cGo and do likewise.\\u201d'