Based On Luke 10:25-37 ESV

And behold, a seminary professor stood up to test Jesus, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”

And he answered, “You shall 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 your neighbor as yourself.”

And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

But the professor, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus replied:

“A man was moving from Colorado Springs to Boise and was traveling on a remote mountainous stretch of highway. His car veered off the road, leaving him stranded and vulnerable in the cold. As he attempted to flag down passing vehicles for help, he was approached by a car with two men. They robbed him, taking his wallet, phone, and belongings, and left him injured and cold by the roadside.

“Now by chance, a pastor from a large local multi-site church was driving down that same road. When he saw the injured man lying by the road, he glanced away, focused on his leadership podcast, and moved over to the far lane, passing by without stopping.

“Shortly afterward, an LDS teacher, known for his books on family values and his pro-life stance, drove by. He noticed the injured man and thought, ‘Stopping here could be dangerous, and he looks homeless. They’re becoming a problem.’ He kept driving, rationalizing that someone else had probably already stopped or called for help.

The Neighbor

“A Catholic priest, traveling to visit his openly gay daughter at Colorado College, came upon the scene. When he saw the man lying there, he felt a deep sense of compassion. He pulled over, grabbed his first aid kit from his car, and attended to the man’s wounds as best as he could. He wrapped the man in his coat to protect him from the cold and carefully lifted him into his car.

“He drove the man to UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central in Colorado Springs. At the hospital, the priest stayed by the man’s side throughout the night. The next morning, before leaving, he handed $100 to the doctor on duty and said, ‘Please give this to him when he wakes up. Let him know he’s not alone and if he needs anything, I’ll be back in a few days to check on him. Here’s my number—call me if he wakes up or if there’s anything else he needs. I’ve also left some clothes in case he needs them.’

“Now, which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”

The professor, now thoughtful, replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”

And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”