Luke 10:25-26 ESV25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”

Luke 10:27-28 ESV27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart & with all your soul & with all your strength & with all your mind, & your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered

correctly; do this, & you will live.”

Luke 10:29-30 ESV29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jeru-salem to Jericho, & he fell among robbers, who stripped him & beat him & departed,

leaving him half dead.

Luke 10:31-32 ESV31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, & when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place & saw him, passed by on the other side.

Luke 10:33-34 ESV33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, & when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him & bound up his wounds, pouring on oil & wine. Then he set him on his own animal

Luke 10:34-35 ESV& brought him to an inn & took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii & gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, & whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’

Luke 10:36-37 ESV36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Being “third” is . . . living out who we are in Christ, not figuring out who’s “second”.

Being “third” is . . . going out of my way to BE a good neighbor, not figuring out a way to be less of one.

Being “third” is . . . being a servant to anyone who’s needy, not someone who’s worthy.

Being “third” is . . . offering compassion to others, not seeking recognition from them.

Being “third” is . . . sacrificing my time, resources, preferences, & ego because it needs to be done.

Being “third” is . . . being like Jesus who was “first” but became “last” for our sake.

Leave it to God to decide who’s “second”, & act on His desire for you to be “third”.