Serve Others

Adapted from: Serve Others by Sam Holm

Ever feel like a hypocrite? You're singing about dedicating your life to making a difference, then realize how often you actually walk past people who need help?

That honest moment of self-reflection happened to a pastor while preparing to talk about one of life's most fundamental principles: loving your neighbor. It sounds simple. We all nod along. But when it comes down to it—who exactly is my neighbor? And what does that love actually look like when rubber meets road?

The Story That Changes Everything

About 2,000 years ago, a religious expert asked a teacher named Jesus: "What must I do to have eternal life?" He knew the textbook answer—love God completely and love your neighbor as yourself. But then he asked what he really wanted to know: "Who is my neighbor?"

Jesus responded with a story that still hits hard today.

A man is traveling a dangerous road when robbers attack, beat him, and leave him half-dead. A priest walks by—crosses to the other side. Then another religious leader passes—also avoids him. Finally, a Samaritan stops.

Here's what made this shocking: Samaritans were the despised outsiders of that culture. They were considered traitors who had corrupted the faith. Yet this Samaritan binds the man's wounds, takes him to safety, pays for his care, and promises to cover any additional costs.

Jesus' punch line? "Go and do the same."

Three Questions This Teaching Answers

1. Who is my neighbor?

Your neighbor isn't just the person who lives next door or looks like you or believes like you. Your neighbor is the person in front of you who needs help—even if they're different from you, even if helping them is inconvenient, even if society says they're not worth your time.

2. What does it actually mean to love my neighbor?

It means more than good feelings or thoughts and prayers. The Samaritan loved with three tangible things:

- His skills - He knew first aid and used it
- His time - He stayed overnight, sacrificing a full day
- His money - He paid upfront and promised more if needed

Real love costs something. It requires getting close, getting involved, and getting your hands dirty.

3. What's in it for me?

Here's the surprising truth: the person most blessed by serving others isn't the one receiving help—it's the one giving it. When you discover you can make a real difference in someone's life, you tap into a deeper sense of purpose and joy than any paycheck or vacation can provide. You learn what you're actually good at. You find meaning that lasts.

Finding Your Way to Serve

Maybe you're thinking, "I don't have medical training like the Samaritan." That's okay. You have something else.

Are you good at fixing things? Organizing chaos? Making people laugh? Listening without judging? Those aren't random quirks—they're tools for helping others.

The catch? You discover your gifts by using them, not by thinking about them. A young guy named Jake serves with elementary kids on Wednesday nights. He admits he was terrified at first. Now? He can't wait to get back each week. He's even bringing other guys his age who were initially scared too.

Another volunteer named Joseph works with teenagers. He watches kids from broken homes discover hope. He sees students take their first mission trip. Sometimes he watches a senior decide they want to dedicate their career to helping others. "The person who gets impacted most," Joseph says, "is me."

Your Next Move

Don't wait until you have time—you never will. Don't wait until you feel qualified—you'll learn by doing.

Start small. Notice who's in your path. The international family who just moved to your street. The co-worker going through a divorce. The elderly neighbor who can't keep up with yard work anymore.

Or take a bigger step. Local organizations need volunteers. Ministries need people willing to show up. Kids need mentors. Communities need neighbors who actually care.

The beautiful irony of the Good Samaritan story? Jesus told it to a religious expert trying to justify himself, trying to check the right boxes. The hero wasn't the professional religious people—it was the ordinary person who simply stopped and helped.

That could be you. In fact, someone in your world is hoping it will be.

Your move: What's one practical way you could use your time, skills, or resources to help someone this week? Don't overthink it. Just do it.