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People Matter

March 6, 2024

Hey Clawson Family


Song: 





Scripture: 


Luke 10:25-37 NLT


One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” The man answered, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!” The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”


Psalms 139:13-18 NLT


You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!




Devotion:


Every day we walk past people who are crying out for attention. They want to know if they are accepted and if they are valuable. They want to understand where they fit in society because most of the time they have felt like an outcast.


It may be the waitress at your favorite restaurant, a student in your classroom, or even the co worker that seems like they have it all together, but some one in your life is asking, “Do I matter?”


They are saying, “Do you see me, or am I invisible? Do you see my pain? Do you hear my cry for help? Can you tell that I am struggling?”


Jesus wants to answer their questions through you.


In the story of the Good Samaritan, a man was abused and left for dead. Several people (even good, religious people) walked past him and made excuses as to why they didn’t have time or the resources to help him. They felt justified in their decision. I am sure that they were hoping or praying that someone else would care for him, but they chose not to do it themselves.

As he lay in the ditch, he probably wondered, “Do I matter? Does anyone care?”


But along came the hero of the story, a person from the land of Samaria. He had many valid reasons why he should not have been the one to help, but his compassionate heart led him to do what was right. The Samaritan picked up the hurting man, bandaged him, protected him, and cared for him.


Similar story, different time and scenery. People are lying in hypothetical gutters along roadsides in every school, town, and even in every church. Physically, they may look fine. They may not be cut and wounded, but they are emotionally scarred. They feel abused, abandoned, and ignored. What they truly need is a relationship with Jesus who can heal their pain, mend their hearts, forgive their sins, and save their souls. The first step in that direction may be a Christ-follower who simply says, “I see you, and I care. You do matter to me.”


Will you be that one to answer the question, “Do I matter?”



Journal:  


In your journal ask Jesus to open our eyes to the opportunities we have to reach out to people around us. Pray that He would interrupt us with people who need Your love and need to know that they matter. 


Training:


Be intentional to look around you for opportunities to be the good samaritan in someone’s life. Someone in your life needs to know that they matter.


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