Monstro the Goldfish

Hi, and thanks for joining me for today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. I'm Elisa Morgan, and I title today's reading, Monstro the Goldfish. Lacey Scott was at her local pet store when a sad fish at the bottom of the tank caught her eye. His scales had turned black, and lesions had formed on his body. Lacey rescued the 10-year-old fish, named him Monstro after the whale in the fairy tale Pinocchio, and placed him in a hospital tank, changing his water daily. Slowly, Monstro improved, began to swim, and grew in size. His black scales transformed to gold.

Through Lacey's committed care, Monstro was made new. In Luke chapter 10, Jesus tells the story of a traveler who was beaten, robbed, and left for dead. Both a priest and a Levite passed by, ignoring the man's suffering. But a Samaritan, a member of the Despised People group, took care of him, even paying for his needs. Pronouncing the Samaritan as the true neighbor in the story, Jesus encouraged his listeners to do the same. What Lacey did for a dying goldfish, we can do for people in need around us. Homeless, unemployed, disabled, and lonely neighbors lie in our paths.

Let us allow their sadness to catch our eyes and draw us to respond with neighborly care, a kind greeting, a shared meal, a few dollars slipped from palm to palm. How might God use us to offer His love to others, a love which can make all things new? Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Luke chapter 10, verses 27 through 37. He answered, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. You've answered correctly, Jesus replied.

Do this, and you will live. But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, And who is my neighbor? In reply, Jesus said, A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by robbers.

They stripped him of his clothes, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was, and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day, he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. Look after him, he said, and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have. Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?

The expert in the law replied, The one who had mercy on him. Jesus told him, Go, and do likewise. Let's pray. Dear God, thank you for making us new. May we be a neighbor to those who desperately need your care in order to be transformed by you. In Jesus' name we pray. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.