Jesus on Eternal Life?
He (Jesus) answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”
The foundation of Christian living is Love. God loved us so much that he sent his son Jesus to die in our place. When a lawyer asked Jesus as how to inherit eternal life, Jesus replies
- Love God with all your heart
- Love your neighbors as you love yourself.
When the lawyer could not understand the second part of his reply, Jesus went on to narrate the story of the Good Samaritan to explain who a good neighbor is. At the end of the story, we read Jesus asking the lawyer to live like a good neighbor (like the Samaritan). (Luke 10:25-37).
This story is more relevant now than ever. Do we really care for those around us? We may think we are doing fine as Christians – going to Church, reading the Bible and praying to God. However, when we ask God – How to inherit eternal life? His answer would be the same.
Help by the wayside
On Dec 6, 1964, a young mother gave birth to a child on the sidewalk of a busy intersection. A crowd of curious passersby stopped to watch but rendered no assistance. After a while, a visitor took pity and called a taxi, but the driver refused. To take the mother and child to the hospital because they would foul his vehicle. The helpful stranger called the police, They too were very busy with more urgent problems.
About this time, Bob Cunningham, a former state representative chanced to pass by and called the fire department for an ambulance. The call was never answered. He asked the bystander to fetch a blanket from a hotel across the street, But the request was turned down. He finally picked up the woman and child and placed them in his own car and took them to the hospital.
Doing it for God
When we try to help others, some always think in terms of – “What is in it for me ?”. There is good news even for such selfish people. The Bible records that when we go out of our way to help someone in need, we are actually doing it for Christ. Matt 25:40 – Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.