Healthy Friendships: Look Both Ways

March 7th & 8th - Look Both Ways

Core Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Memory Verse:
"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:18 (NIV)

Discussion Questions:

1. Why did Jesus tell this parable? What does this tell us about Jesus' love? What does this tell us about how important love was to Jesus?
2. What are some of the ways that we show love to our friends? How does this make us go out of our way?
3. Why is it hard to go out of our way for our friends? What are some of the reasons we tend to be bystanders?
   What will need to change in our lives if we want to go out of our way for our friends? How will this change the way we use our time?
   
4. How will going out of our way lead our friendships to be healthier and more like Christ?

Bottom Line:

• The priest and the Levite remained bystanders, disinterested observers who were more concerned with their own agendas than the stranger. Meanwhile, a Samaritan - a hated stranger - went out of his way to help.
  
• Neighbors go out of their way for each other. This is what a life of Healthy Friendships means - being more concerned with the needs of others than with the completion and success of our own plans.
  
• We need to be aware of what our friends are going through, whether its good or bad. If we can achieve this heightened awareness, we will find it hard to go back to being a bystander.
• Let us thank God for being an active God instead of a bystander, and let us imagine what our world can be like if we go out of our way for each other like Jesus went out of His way for us.