DAY 1: Living the questions

When I was in my twenties, I lived in London and worked for the government. At one point, I was working on some important international negotiations. I felt, ‘I’ve made it – this is changing the world!’ Yet as I was rushing home through Victoria station, I felt God prompt me to stop and talk to a man who was homeless, sitting near the entrance. On this occasion I managed to follow the prompting and stop, and we had a brief conversation. Nothing remarkable happened, no lightning conversion, no obvious breakthrough. Just a conversation between two human beings, for five minutes, outside the station. But as I walked away, I felt God say: ‘That conversation was the most significant thing you did for my kingdom today.’

Fifteen or so years later I still work on global justice issues, but that experience outside Victoria station has shaped and deepened my understanding of what it means to seek God’s Kingdom.

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37 (NIV)

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

28 “You have answered correctly,”Jesus replied.“Do this and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Reading question:

In the discussion here, what the religious teacher seems to want is a formula to live by: a list of people he must care for and be kind to. Jesus doesn’t provide it, giving him a story and a question to live by instead. How might this story and this question shape your thoughts about your vocation?

Question for reflection during the day:

What can I do today that will last into eternity?