Justifying Myself?

This verse introduces the well-known story of the Good Samaritan. A law expert had just asked a very important question to test Jesus, asking, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied with well-known Scriptures, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

The law expert wanted to “justify himself.” Why? He did not ask about loving God with all of his heart, soul, and mind, but focused his attention on whom he had to love as much as he loved himself! And Jesus actually put this lawyer to the test by using a Samaritan as the example of how to love one’s neighbour! (In case you didn’t know, Jews looked down on Samaritans!)

“Justify” means, “to free of the guilt and penalty attached to grievous sin.” The law expert wanted to “excuse himself from guilt.” Jesus saw his heart, and knew that the story would convict him.

It’s easy to love the people we know and like, but what about the people that we don’t? As I’ve watched the news, I see the injustices that “my neighbor” has suffered, about which I have done nothing. One comment that has struck me the most is that what hurts “my neighbor” the most is silence. I can say that I just don’t want to get involved (self-justification), but what is the neighborly thing to do? Love is action.

Father God, forgive me for choosing silence over speaking up for the oppressed, and for choosing not to get involved, rather than showing love in an active way to my neighbor. Show me someone today who needs my love and support, no matter how “unloveable” they may seem. Amen.

Throughout This Day: Consider the ways that you may be making excuses or justifying yourself for not loving your neighbor as you love yourself. Ask God to change your way of thinking when you begin to feel guilty for your silence or lack of action, and remember how the Samaritan actively showed love to his oppressed neighbor. Is there someone around you who needs your love?