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Bible Verses for all that the Spring Season Encompasses

As the warmth sets out to defrost the earth, the birds begin to grace us with their merry songs, the fauna brings about new life, and the vegetation begins to sprout. Restlessness dissolves into a newfound sense of energy as humankind starts to venture outside to delight in the rebirth that springtime initiates. Cheerful laughter fills the air as families gather at parks, and the sidewalks begin to fill with brightly colored masterpieces; chalky residue smear tiny fingertips. Bees buzz diligently about, and soft breezes whirl and carry off fallen seeds of trees; gently transporting them to their new homes where they will settle and flourish. Brilliant colors paint the hillside as fragrant flowers bud and blossom, while the nooks and crevices at home are spritzed and wiped down; the dust bunnies cleared away. Old clothes get sorted and donated to those who have more use for them, and winter attire is neatly packed away. The serene murmur of rivers is heard as they reawaken from their icy confinement. Twigs and grass are collected as hopeful avians build their nests for their eggs. Spring marks the end of hibernation, the beasts wake from their restful slumber, and the heat of the sun fills life with zeal and excitement. Soft giggles echo through the atmosphere while toddlers run and splash through puddles, triumphant applause roars as colorful kites soar across the sky, and iridescent bubbles float freely away as they depart the loop of a plastic wand. Butterflies flitter garden to garden alongside the cherry red ladybugs that casually stroll among the greenery. Rosy cheeks balloon before the exhale of breath is vigorously released, prompting the tiny white seeds of dandelions to dance around the man-made zephyr, while the culprit gleefully makes a wish. Red checkered blankets are laid across freshly trimmed grass as couples leisurely slow down and bask in one another’s company; holding hands and sharing their aspirations with one another, as wispy clouds lazily saunter above. 

As Christians, we know spring represents more than the pleasant sound of leaves rustling in the breeze, a feeling far more prominent than the welcomed touch of the sun kissing our skin. Spring signifies a deeper and greater appreciation for new life, transformation, rebirth, renewal, growth, new beginnings, hope, restorations, promises, progress, and cleansing. Spring symbolizes God’s promise of eternal life. It is a reminder of Christ's love and sacrifice. It is the time to rejuvenate our spiritual health. It’s the time to start anew. 

That is why we have collected scriptures from the Bible that capture the remarkable beauty and transformation of the season. The verses will encourage the spiritual meaning that embodies springtime. 

Bible Verses for Springtime

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;  it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me. Songs of Songs 2:11-13

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. Isaiah 44:3-4

He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5

When a king’s face brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring. Proverbs 16:15

Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. Deuteronomy 32:2

The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 35:1-10

Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. John 3:6

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old. Lamentations 5:21

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Colossians 3:9-10

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth:

It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign,  that will endure forever. Isaiah 55:10-13

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:25-26

Praise the Lord, my soul,  and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:2-5

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 1 Corinthians 15:22

Do not be afraid, you wild animals, for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green. The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches. Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. Joel 2:22-24

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Romans 6:4-7

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. James 5:7

Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. Hosea 6:3

Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death— they are like the new grass of the morning. Psalm 90:5

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:10-12

A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” Isaiah 40:6-8

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3

The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. Psalm 19:7

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 1 Peter 1:23

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Psalm 1:3

Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime; it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone. Zechariah 10:1

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, or his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations. Isaiah 61:11

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16

When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. Psalm 104:30

So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul—then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. Deuteronomy 11:13-14

All Things Considered

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:5

Christ assures us that He will make everything new. This includes those eager and willing to listen and live by His teachings. It is through Him that we will be restored!

-Torrance Church of Christ

27 Insightful Proverbs to Frame Your Life Around

Over the past couple of months, we have shared assorted Proverbs that provide great wisdom and guidance as to how you can effectively live your life. Because there are so many good Proverbs out there, we are sharing some more that we think are constructive as well as worthwhile to not only read but also apply to your life. 

The Proverbs

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Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare.

Proverbs 20:13

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Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.

Proverbs 12:25

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The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

Proverbs 14:1

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An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.

Proverbs 18:1

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A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.

Proverbs 13:17

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A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

Proverbs 18:16

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The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

Proverbs 15:3

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A foolish child is a father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like the constant dripping of a leaky roof.

Proverbs 19:13

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Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.

Proverbs 16:32

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One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

Proverbs 11:24

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A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

Proverbs 15:13

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Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.

Proverbs 12:24

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The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live.

Proverbs 15:27

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Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong! Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.

Proverbs 20:22

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Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.

Proverbs 16:8

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The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

Proverbs 13:9

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A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes, but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.

Proverbs 10:23

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A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.

Proverbs 11:13

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To End…

If you enjoyed the Proverbs above feel free to check out other Proverbs we have collected and compiled here and here. 

Remember, God and His Words can help you reshape your life so that you will be on the path of righteousness. 

-Torrance Church of Christ

A Comprehensive Analysis of the Parable of the Good Samaritan

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

The Book of Luke chapter 10 shares the account of a lawman who challenges Jesus. This particular man stood up and asked Jesus “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus countered the man by asking, “what is written in the law? How do you read it?” The man responded by paraphrasing both Deuteronomy 6:5:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

and Leviticus 19:18:

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

Jesus assured the man that he was correct, and let him know that if he were to follow those teachings he would receive eternal life. But the man was not satisfied, he felt the need to question Jesus further. As a means of personal justification, the man asked, “who is my neighbor?”

Jesus thought it best to teach this man a valuable lesson in the form of a parable. He went on to illustrate a story about a man who found himself in an unfortunate circumstance. This man had been traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when a band of robbers stripped him of his clothes, beat him, and left him for dead on the side of the road. 

As the man lay there dying, on two separate occasions, two holy men, a priest, and a Levite happened to come along. Neither of the men stopped to help the hurt man, instead, they opted to cross the road and continue on their way. But then a Samaritan who was traveling down the road saw the man and went out of his way to help him. The Samaritan bandaged the stranger's wounds, carefully loaded him onto his donkey, and took him into town where he secured a room for the man at the local inn where he nursed the man back to health. The next day, the Samaritan paid the innkeeper and requested the innkeeper to watch over the man, and promised he would be back and reimburse the innkeeper for all additional expenses. 

Once finished presenting His tale, Jesus asked the law expert:

 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

Luke 10:36

To which:

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Luke 10:37

Let’s Unpack

At first glance, the lesson in Parable of the Good Samaritan may seem pretty obvious: Doesn’t matter who it is, help others and love everyone. But there is more to it than that, so let’s get into it. 

What is a Samaritan?

The word Samaritan is used to describe a person from Samaria which was a territory just north of Judea in Northern Jerusalem. 

The Moderately Abridged History of the Contempt Between The Jews and Samaritans

When Israel divided, Samaria was within the boundaries of the northern kingdom of Israel, while Judea became the southern kingdom. Both of the kingdoms were led by corrupt rulers. Because of this, wickedness spread across the kingdoms. 

God warned His followers to repent and turn away from their immoral ways. The Jews in the southern kingdom found themselves at an advantage, as the temple was within their boundary. 

As descendants from the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, Samaritans deemed themselves as the true followers of the original Mosaic religion. The Samaritans built their site of worship on Mount Gerizim. They opposed the beliefs and religion of the Jews from Judea. 

Sin continued to metastasize throughout the kingdoms, and the people proceeded to shut their eyes to God’s warnings. Because of this, around 721 B.C., the northern kingdom of Israel was overthrown by the Assyrian Empire. Assyrian Pagan Gentiles relocated to the area and soon after, the natives began to intermarry with the Gentiles. Consequently, the offspring produced from these marriages considered themselves Jews.

However, the Jews in Judea unquestionably disagreed. Animosity grew between the Samaritans and those in Judea. Not only did the Judeans not agree with how Samaritans practiced Judaism, but they began to refer to Samarians as mongrels; considering them inferior because they were half Gentile. 

The southern kingdom met its forewarned destruction in 585 B.C. The southern kingdom of Judea was conquered by the Babylonian Empire. The walls of Jerusalem and the temple fell to rubble. Many of the residents were sent to Babylon. 

70 years later, Babylon was defeated by the Medes and the Persians. Even though many of the previous residents of Jerusalem had new lives, they were encouraged to return home and rebuild the temple. Many of them did. 

As the construction of the new temple began, the people from the original northern kingdom offered their help to build the temple saying:

 “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”

Ezra 4:1

The southern Israelites denied the help:

“You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”

Ezra 4:2

This angered the Samaritans and others in the northern kingdom. Out of spite, they put together a resistance to impede the construction of the temple by petitioning the Persian kings. Ultimately, the Samaritans did not prevent the temple from being rebuilt, they just threw up some additional roadblocks. They ended up building their own temple on Mount Gerizim. But, subsequently, the pre-existing bad blood amplified. 

Approximately in 332 B.C., Alexander the Great vanquished the land and as a result, the land fell under Greek rule. At this time, the Samaritans cooperated with the Greeks, while the Jews rebelled; choosing to remain loyal to Persia. During this time, the Samaritans even denied being Jewish so they would be more readily accepted by their Greek counterparts. 

In 113 B.C., conflict once again peaked when the Jews demolished the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim. This only fueled the hatred. 

By the time Jesus was born, the long-seeded loathing had been plagued with deceitful and malicious misdeeds spanning over generations. 

The Justification of the Lawman  

In Luke 10:25, the lawman asked Jesus:

“Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

When the lawman first posed his question, (“what must I do”) he seemingly eluded God’s laws by implying that inheriting eternal life is achievable of his own accord. Jesus immediately thwarted the man’s attempt by bringing the law into the conversation. Still attempting to justify himself, the man confronted Jesus once again, seeking out the answer to who does not count as a neighbor, and who does he not have to love. After all, the man wouldn’t be expected to love sinners, right? Wrong! However, if Jesus were to specify who, the man could keep the options to a minimum and ultimately modify the law by stating that he does love the people who do count. 

The Justification of the Two Holy Men

In the Parable, first, a priest encounters the hurt man. It is widely familiar knowledge that a priest refers to a religious leader. But do you know why a Levite is considered a holy man?

1 Chronicles 23:1-5 reads:

When David was old and full of years, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.

He also gathered together all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites. The Levites thirty years old or more were counted, and the total number of men was thirty-eight thousand. David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand are to be in charge of the work of the temple of the Lord and six thousand are to be officials and judges. Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the Lord with the musical instruments I have provided for that purpose.”

So, both the priests and Levites were temple workers. This fact implicates the underlying reasoning behind the men’s justification of why they neglected to help the man on the side of the road. Per the requirements of the job, men working in the temple were expected to maintain cleanliness. Helping a wounded man could prove to be detrimental in this regard. Leviticus 21 provides great insight as to the priest’s and Levite’s obligations:

The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: ‘A priest must not make himself ceremonially unclean for any of his people who die, except for a close relative, such as his mother or father, his son or daughter, his brother,  or an unmarried sister who is dependent on him since she has no husband—for her he may make himself unclean.

Leviticus 21:1-3

He must not enter a place where there is a dead body. He must not make himself unclean, even for his father or mother

Leviticus 21:11

Justifying their actions, both men paid no attention to their neighbor (or, per Matthew 22, the second greatest of all the commandments) and thought it more important to keep clean so they could perform their religious responsibilities. 

The Entirety of the Lessons From the Parable

+Consult Your Bible- Despite the lawman’s efforts to rationalize his actions, the first place he turned was to God's teachings when Jesus asked him, “what is written in the law? How do you read it?” Always turn to God and His teachings first. 

+Strive to Comprehend What You Read- Seek out the deeper meaning from the messages. Make sure you are not improperly comprehending the message so that it fits your narrative. The lawman knew that he was commanded to love everybody, but he thought, “surely, not everybody counts as everybody.”

+Listen Intently to God’s Teachings- When you listen and absorb His teachings, you are opening the doorway to beneficial spiritual guidance and growth. 

+Eliminate Justification From Your Life- God sees all your actions, he knows your heart. Justifying yourself doesn’t help you in any form. Not only does God know your true intentions, but making justifications prevents personal growth. 

+Be Responsive and Hospitable- Respond with love and compassion to those needing help. If you can, go beyond the bare minimum of support. The Good Samaritan could have only bandaged the man up, but he did more- he took him to the inn. The Good Samaritan could have paid for the one night at the inn, but he did more- he paid the innkeeper for more time and for his help to oversee the man and promised to repay him for any additional expenses. The Good Samaritan exceeded any expectations. 

+Don’t Expect Things in Return- Yes, if you follow the example of the Good Samaritan, you will be blessed. Nonetheless, it is important that you do not help others because there are deep-rooted motivations and factors driving you to do so. You need to love and help others because you see their value, you want to aid them, and you want to build them up. 

+Steer Clear of Intolerance and Discrimination- Jesus used the Samaritan as an example to jolt those who were listening. Samaritans were viewed as lesser beings and they were despised by the Jews. They were seen as faithless half-breeds who were untrustworthy and unsuitable to be treated civilly. Yet, in a shocking turn of events, Jesus reveals that the Good Samaritan was the good guy, he was the only one upholding God’s law. 

+Be Humble and Receptive- After Jesus relayed the Parable, the lawman conceded that the Good Samaritan was the man who had been a true neighbor to the hurt man. By doing so, the lawman acknowledged his faulty judgment and showed a willingness to learn and challenge his thinking. 

+Act on God's Words- The last piece of wisdom that Jesus grants the lawman is, “go and do likewise.” Jesus is reiterating that if the lawman wants eternal life, he will need to meet the conditions by doing: inclusively, openly, unconditionally loving all. Words are great, but they need to be backed by your actions. 

Parallel of Jesus and the Good Samaritan

Now let’s jump into the symbolism of the Parable! 

A man (us) is wounded and beaten (by sin and evil).

A priest and Levite (religious leaders of the old covenants) are incapable of saving the wounded man. 

A Samaritan (Jesus) rescues the wounded man. 

The Samaritan takes the man to an inn (a Christian church). 

The Samaritan then delegates the responsibility and care of the wounded man over to the innkeeper (Christian leader).

The Samaritan promises the innkeeper that he will return (Christ’s return) and will be compensated for his faithful loyalty (the rapture). 

The Samaritan footed the bill, and all expenses were on him (the crucifixion). 

Plainly put, religious leaders and others of the time simply did not like Jesus. They belittled and mocked Him, questioned His ministry, and ended up condemning Him to death. In John 8:48 the Jews are vilifying Him:

The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?”

Equivalent to the Good Samaritan, all Samaritans, Jesus is persecuted. His miracles, guidance, and love are overlooked by those who hate Him, despite Him satisfying the law. Yet, he continues to show us mercy. 

The Fulfillment of a Prophecy 

Jesus knew that there wasn’t much time left in his Earthly calling. Even though he had ministered to a Samaritan woman in John 4, and healed the Samaritan leper in Luke 17 (the only one who came back to thank Him), He wanted to share His message with all of Samaria, but we see in Luke 9:51-56 that he was not welcomed:

As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then he and his disciples went to another village.

In Acts chapter 1, Jesus shares with His disciples that they will be His witnesses in Samaria. In Acts 8:4-8, His prophecy was fulfilled:

Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city.

Wrapping It Up

Take it upon yourself to take up every opportunity presented to be a Good Samaritan. Admittedly, at times, it will most definitely be difficult. Some days will be worse than others. There are some people who just irk us. But they are not any less deserving of God's love, or your love. If you stumble, that’s okay. God knows that we aren’t perfect. So, cling to Him and continue working toward change.

In order to inherit eternal life, we need to be obedient to Jesus’ teachings and follow His example. We need to submit ourselves to His Word, His Actions, and His Love. Ask yourself how you can be a good neighbor. By striving to become a Good Samaritan, we are striving to become Christlike. 

Read more about the Parables here

The Whole Passage

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

He 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 neighbor as yourself.’”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Luke 10:25-37