Go and Do Likewise

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

Jesus took up this question and said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.

“Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

“So too, when a Levite came to that spot and saw him, he passed by on the other side.

“But when a Samaritan on a journey came upon him, he looked at him and had compassion. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

“The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Take care of him,’ he said, ‘and on my return I will repay you for any additional expense.’

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

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

Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” 

— Luke 10:29–37

The parable of the Good Samaritan challenges every boundary we draw around love. When the expert in the law asked, “Who is my neighbor?” he was hoping to limit his obligations—to define love narrowly enough to remain comfortable. But Jesus expands the definition beyond all cultural, religious, or personal lines. Our neighbor is not simply the one who looks like us, thinks like us, or shares our experiences. Our neighbor is anyone in need, including those from whom we might instinctively turn away.

The priest and the Levite, pillars of religious life, passed by the wounded man—perhaps out of fear, ritual concerns, or sheer inconvenience. But the Samaritan, a member of a group despised by Jews, was moved with compassion. His response was not cautious or minimal; it was sacrificial and costly. He touched wounds, carried the injured man, paid his expenses, and promised to return. Jesus’ command, “Go and do likewise,” invites us into this same pattern of boundary-breaking love—love that sees need before difference, compassion before judgment, mercy before self-protection.

In a world fractured along every dividing line, this kind of love is a radical witness to the heart of Christ. It requires us to look honestly at whom we might be tempted to overlook or avoid. Compassion begins with seeing others as God sees them—beloved, wounded, worthy of mercy—then allowing that vision to shape our choices.

Who in your life might you be tempted to “pass by” because of differences, past hurt, or discomfort? What barriers—internal or external—keep you from offering compassion as freely as the Samaritan did? How might Jesus be inviting you to make your love more active, costly, or courageous in the days ahead?

Today, ask God to help you see them as He does and to give you an opportunity to act with compassion. Loving across boundaries is not just obedience to Jesus’ command—it is a reflection of His love for us.

Lord Jesus, 

Open my heart to love beyond the limits I have set. Help me to see every person as my neighbor, and give me the courage to act with mercy and compassion, even when it is costly. Let my life echo Your command to “go and do likewise.” 

In Your name I pray. Amen.

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