A couple days ago I read the story of the Good Samaritan in my Bible. (Luke 10:25-37) I encourage you to read it! Jesus was asked by a man how he could inherit eternal life. Jesus answered him in Luke 10:27, “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” The man wanted to justify himself, so he questioned Jesus further by asking, “Who is my neighbor?” We’re so prone to do that aren’t we? Justify ourselves. But, as Jesus always does, He sheds light onto every crevice of darkness…The Good Samaritan was deemed good because he stopped to help a man who had been robbed and beaten, but he didn’t just stop to help, he went the extra mile. He cared for the man’s immediate & anticipated needs. He had mercy on the man, he showed him grace and love even though he did not know him. Several others who ‘should’ have shown this stranger love had just passed on by. But, the Good Samaritan didn’t just pass by. He stopped. He paid attention. He was willing to stop his normal schedule long enough for a God-appointed appointment. And Jesus’ point in telling this parable was to show that we are a neighbor when we show mercy. So, my encouragement to all of us today is this: let’s look up from our phones today, look away from ourselves and our to-do lists long enough to put our eyes on those around us. Who can you and I show mercy to today? Who might God be highlighting for us to be a blessing to today? It’s the second greatest commandment, Jesus said…love our neighbors as ourselves. God has shown us all extravagant mercy by sending Jesus to die for our sins, how can we then not show others great mercy?