Love is Kind

When I think about how love is kind, I’m reminded of Luke 10 and the good Samaritan story. It tells of a man making the desolate and dangerous trip from Jerusalem to Jericho and was robbed, beaten, and left for dead. A priest went by but did not stop to help him; so did a Levite. But when a Samaritan (a member of a group despised by the Jews) passed by, he took pity on the man and bandaged his wounds, put him on his own donkey, and traveled to an inn and took care of him.As you’re reading this parable, you automatically ask yourself why the priest and Levite didn’t stop to help – they were both God-fearing men. But the Samaritan, who was from another country, didn’t hesitate and weigh his options. He simply saw someone in need and showed kindness by taking care of him.How many times have we hesitated to show kindness to someone? When looking at them, we weren’t sure of their situation, how they got there, or why they needed help, or we hesitated because we were too busy, blamed them for their poor choices, or didn’t want to get involved. But Jesus asks us to love one another and show kindness – not to judge. I pray that today we can be quick to show kindness to all we meet. Let us remember the parable of the good Samaritan and love as Jesus loves us. Amen.