In Luke 10:25-37 is Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan, and with all his parables, the lessons are impactful to our lives no matter the stage of our spiritual growth and maturity. The backdrop for this parable is Luke 10:25 (NLT), the occasion of a religious expert who tried to test Jesus with a question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” In the next verse, we read that Jesus flipped it back on him: “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” The man answered right—Love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus told him, “Exactly. Do that, and you’ll live.”
In Luke 10:29 (NLT), we see that this man wasn’t done—he wanted to justify himself and said, “And who is my neighbor?” And if we’re honest, we’ve all been there. We know what God’s Word says, but sometimes we try to negotiate the terms. We want the blessing of obedience without the inconvenience of full surrender. So we start asking modern-day versions of that same question:
“Do I really have to forgive them after what they did?”
“Is it still gossip if I’m just venting?”
“Is this really a lack of love or just strong boundaries?”
It’s not that we don’t know what’s right—it’s that we’re hoping to shrink the assignment until it fits our comfort zone. We want to stay in control and still call it faith. That man wasn’t confused; he just didn’t like the reach of the command. And just like him, we sometimes try to make obedience selective, trimming it down so we can still feel good about ourselves while sidestepping the real work of love.
Knowing the heart of the man who asked this question, Jesus understood that the parable wasn’t just for him, but it serves to help each of us understand that loving goes beyond comfort. In Luke 10:30, Jesus proceeds by unfolding the parable of a man that was traveling down a dangerous road and got jumped—beaten, robbed, and left half-dead. A priest came by, saw him, and crossed to the other side. Then a Temple assistant did the same. Both religious, both respected—neither stopped.
Luke 10:33 (NLT) tells us, “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him.” Samaritans were seen as outsiders and were despised by the Jews. Instead of walking past, the Samaritan had compassion. He went to the man, bandaged his wounds, soothed him with oil and wine, put him on his own donkey, and paid for his care—promising to cover whatever it took to get him well.
Then Jesus asked, “Which of these three was a neighbor to the man in need?” The expert said, “The one who showed mercy.” In Luke 10:37 (NLT), Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” Our Master Jesus doesn’t soften the message here. He stretches it wider. He shows us that being a neighbor isn’t about choosing who’s easy to love—it’s about choosing to love when it costs something. It’s not just kind words or good intentions—it’s love that shows up, even when it’s hard, inconvenient, or goes unnoticed. It’s the kind of love that gives when there’s no guarantee of getting anything back.
Through his own example, our precious Lord and Savior demonstrated that sacrificial love doesn’t always feel good in the moment—but it bears the kind of fruit that lasts. He said in John 15:13 (NLT), “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jesus didn’t just preach about love—he lived it. He carried the weight of our sin, stayed on that cross, and chose us when we had nothing to offer. That’s sacrificial love: choosing to give your best, even when it costs the most.
The Samaritan in Jesus’ parable didn’t pause to see if the man on the road deserved his help. He just helped. This should be our heart posture as well. We don’t need more justifications—we need more compassion. We don’t need to defend our indifference—we need to let grace lead us past it. Jesus calls us out of selective love, where we choose who we will value based on worldly standards. He calls us into sacrificial love—a love that gives when it costs us something and he still says today what he said then: “Go and do the same.” ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Loving Beyond Comfort”, written for Springfield Fellowship © 2025. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.