On one occasion a Jewish law expert came to test Jesus.  "Teacher," he asked, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"  Jesus replied, "What is written in the Law?"  The expert answered, "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 neighbour as yourself."

Jesus replied, "You have answered correctly.  Do this and you will live." But the expert wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbour?"

Jesus then told him a parable of a man who was travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho.  But, he fell into the hands of robbers and they stripped him of his clothes, and beat him, and then went away leaving him half dead.

A priest (a religious leader of the Jews) happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he quickly passed by on the other side.   A Levite (a member of the Levi tribe of priests) did the same thing when he came to the place and saw him.  He also passed by on the other side.

But a Samaritan (a person from Samaria who the Jews disliked) happened to be travelling that way.  When he came to where the man was, he took pity on him.  He poured oil and wine into his wounds to clean them, and then bandaged them.  He lifted the man onto his donkey and took him to an inn, where he nursed and cared for him.

On 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 pay you for any extra expense you may have had."

Who do you think was the type of person that God wants us to be? (Let the children respond).  Well, Jesus asked the Law Expert, "Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"  The expert replied, "The one who had mercy on him."   Jesus must have looked at the expert with compassion as He said to him, "Then go and do likewise."

We are not told if the expert ever went and did that.  But, Jesus used the parable story to show that God wants His children to always be kind and care for each other, and for other people, and not just for friends.   However, we can only do this if the love of God fills our hearts.

God is a God of love and in Jeremiah 31:3, He said:

"I have loved you with an everlasting love.
I have drawn you with loving-kindness."

Let's pray now and ask Jesus to fill our hearts with God's love, so that we can be kind and care for other people every day.

God bless!