Sometimes our first impulse is to run from something we know we have to do. We feel overwhelmed and afraid. Jonah ran the other way when God ordered him to prophesy to the people of Nineveh. After all, that was the capital of Assyria, and the Assyrians were Israel's bitter enemies. Jonah couldn't run from God or his destiny, and neither can we. After his adventure with the storm at sea and the three days in the belly of the big fish, Jonah was finally ready to do what God wanted. Often our own negative experiences bring us back to where we need to be.

The parable of the Good Samaritan reminds us that compassion and mercy towards all is what our path should be. The lawyer asked, 'Who is my neighbor?' in response to the command to love your neighbor as yourself. All of the representative of religion and 'good' people ignored the man beaten and left for dead by the side of the road. It was the Samaritan (the Samaritans were despised) that spent time, energy, and resources to help a total stranger. That is the point: in God's eyes there are no strangers or 'other' and there should not be in our eyes either. There is only humanity and compassion. Our neighbor - the recipient of our love - is anyone in need. Do we limit our love, or do we see the face of God in all? Our answer to that question will indicate the quality of our love.