Love of Neighbor

We all place limits on our love. The most common limit is the way we define love. We think a life of love is somethiing you "fall into" or get "swept up into." We assume love is fundamentally emotional, intense, and internal. This limits our love because we only love the people that make us feel intense and internal emotions. 

There are limits on our love too: we are too tired; we are selective in who deserves love; we put love on hold because we have unresolved thoughts or doubts; we are scared of the risks involved; or we simply are too self-focused to notice or care.  

In our passage this week (Luke 10:25-37), Jesus will challenge our limits to love with a story. It's a familiar story, but don't let that fool you. The story invites us into a life of love that is without limits and it is characterized by sacrificial action and thoughtful helpfulness.