Weekly Teaching Reflection

March 15th Reflection

Discussion Questions

The Practice of Service

Availability

• Discussion Questions

  1. Jesus affirms the command to love God and neighbor but then pushes the conversation toward action. Where do you see the difference between knowing the command to love and actually embodying it in daily life?

  2. The teaching describes service as a tension between planned acts of service and unexpected interruptions. Which is harder for you: planning to serve or being interrupted by someone’s need? Why do you think interruptions are often where the deepest formation happens?

  3. The priest and Levite likely passed by because of real religious and practical concerns. What might have been going through their minds in that moment? What are some modern equivalents that cause us to walk past someone in need?

  4. The Samaritan felt compassion that moved him to act immediately. When have you experienced a moment where compassion wouldn’t let you walk away? What tends to dull or suppress that kind of compassion in our lives?

  5. The Samaritan not only helped in the moment but paid for the man’s ongoing care and returned later. What stands out to you about the depth and cost of the Samaritan’s compassion? How might our culture prefer quick, transactional help instead of long-term care?

  6. Jesus shifts the question from “Who is my neighbor?” to “Will I become a neighbor?” Why do you think we naturally want to define the limits of who deserves our love? Who might be the “Samaritans” in our modern world?

  7. Jesus intentionally made the most hated outsider the hero of the story. What kinds of social, political, racial, or ideological boundaries make it difficult for people to love one another today? What might it look like to cross one of those boundaries in a Christlike way?

  8. Jesus ends with a call: “Go and do likewise.” Where are the “Jericho roads” in your everyday life (work, neighborhood, school, routines)? What might it look like this week to become a neighbor in one of those places?

  Practice for the Week: A Schedule Audit
  
  Do an audit of your schedule and cut at least one thing out.

  For most of us, becoming more interruptible begins with creating more room to be interrupted in the first place. Look over your weekly schedule, make a list of all your commitments, and ask yourself if you have enough margin in your life to be available for both intentionality and interruptibility. If the answer is no (and it’s highly likely it will be), then find at least one thing to step away from to create space to respond to holy interruptions.

   

  1. Take a moment to write down all your commitments in a given week. This should include things like household responsibilities, social engagements, leisure activities, and daily habits.

  2. Looking at your commitments, ask yourself: Do I have enough time and

  space to be intentionally present and interruptible for needs that come up?

  3. Choose at least one commitment or activity that you intend to remove

  this week by crossing it out in the above box. This may be something you

  intend to remove from your weekly rhythm going forward, or just for this

  week as an offering of space to God.

  4. Take some time to reflect. When and how will you make this change? How much time does removing this commitment give back to you? How do you feel about making this adjustment?