Love Your Neighborਨਮੂਨਾ

Loving Others

In John 4:1-42, we read about Jesus’s encounter with a Samaritan woman at a well. We see Jesus moved with compassion and compelled by kindness toward a broken and hurting person. He disregarded cultural barriers and societal norms, giving the Samaritan woman his time and attention—even though Jews typically did not associate with Samaritans. Instead of avoiding or condemning her, Jesus engaged in a dignifying conversation, acknowledging her story, speaking truth into her life, and offering her hope.

The gospel is a story of Jesus’s love for everyone. It is not a message of judgment or fear but rather a proclamation of life and love. Jesus met people in their brokenness, loneliness, and searching. Loving your neighbor starts with truly seeing them—not just as someone you pass by, but as someone made in God’s image, endowed with inherent dignity and worth. To see someone this way might involve learning their name, listening to their story, recognizing their pain, dedicating time, and expressing your care for them.

One of the biggest obstacles to truly seeing others is our own busyness. Time is precious, and we fill it with meaningful things, but how can we intentionally engage the people around us if we’re rushing from one place to the next? Our schedules are often so full that we miss the opportunities right in front of us—when God places someone in our path who needs encouragement, kindness, or someone who will listen.

Jesus was never in a hurry. Time and again, we see him pause for people—the blind beggar crying out for mercy, the woman touching his garment in desperation, the tax collector climbing a tree to catch a glimpse of him. Jesus noticed people others overlooked.

If we want to love our neighbors as Jesus did, we must learn to slow down. Giving up our time can feel like a costly gift, but love is rarely rushed. It takes time to stop and have a conversation, offer a helping hand, pray with someone, or simply be present. What if we built margin into our days—not just for tasks but for people? What if we asked God each morning, “Who do you want me to see today?”

Think about a time when someone really saw and valued you. How did that impact you?

Is there a group of people (politically, socially, culturally, etc.) to whom you find it challenging to extend kindness, love, and grace?

How can you build more space into your day to see others?

Thank you, Jesus, for being the perfect example of a life defined by love. Help me follow your example. Remove any biases I have toward other people. Please help me to walk at your pace and give me your eyes to see others. Amen.