Do Good and Love God, Part 7

What are various ways we serve God? The Savior said, "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matt. 25:40). How we treat other people is important. Jesus taught that how we treat others is how we treat Him. In other words, if we serve and help others it is like serving and helping Him. Actually, that is not true. When we serve and help others we are serving and helping the Lord. The Savior lived a life of service and sacrifice; He also taught of service.

"A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee" (Luke 10:30-35).

Samaritans were, to many Jews, unclean, apostate people. However, the Levite - a member of the priesthood class - and the priest - who may have been returning from or headed towards his temple service - both ignored the man in need. The Samaritan man took care of the injured in his immediate needs and paid for his further care. He was the one who served God, unlike the Levite and priest, by serving and saving his neighbor.

Link to part 6 of this essay.