Not Bad People

“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.”

Luke 10:31–32

Read today’s passage again. Nowhere does Jesus say that the priest and the Levite were bad people. But we know from the way Jesus referred to them—priest and Levite—that they were busy people and religious people. They were focused on staying on schedule, keeping their appointments, and obeying God’s commandments. They were so focused that they ended up walking past someone they should have helped.

Busy. Religious. Not bad. But let’s ask ourselves the tough question: When have I been so focused on the people I’ve chosen to help that I’ve walked past other hurting people who God put right in my path to help?

Let’s start today being free from the kind of busyness that is really rooted in fear—fear of falling behind or falling short, fear of damaging our reputations, or of letting others down. And let’s quit being busy or religious. Let’s look past our busyness and seek His heart for people. Then, we can minister as He would minister, out of the overflow of love in our hearts.

Holy Spirit, please give me eyes to see the people around me the way Jesus does, and I’ll minister to them the way You would, with love and compassion.