Luke was one of the most prolific writers of the New Testament. He gave a detailed account of the life of Jesus in his Gospel and a description of the early church in the book of Acts.
Luke was also a doctor, and his writing reveals his great compassion for people. Even his efforts to write his two books were motivated by a concern to help a friend grow in faith. His concern for the spiritual health of others was matched by his concern for their physical well-being. Throughout his books he made a point to notice the physical suffering of people and the care that those people received. He recounted how Jesus and his apostles again and again brought spiritual and physical healing into hurting and broken lives. And he noticed how Jesus paid special attention to the helpless in society. Jesus made a special point of helping outcasts, prostitutes, and hated tax collectors. Luke’s compassionate heart led him to emphasize the compassion of Jesus for those rejected by society.
Luke records Jesus’ response when the disciples were arguing about who would be greatest among them. “But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves“. Luke 22:26-27 NLT
Luke is a man who didn’t aspire to greatness or try to grab the spotlight. His goal in life was to serve and care for others. We need people like Luke in our lives, don’t we? Perhaps even more, however, we need to learn how we can become instruments of healing in the lives of the people around us. Shed that tough exterior, friend, and share the compassion of Christ today.
By Steve Arterburn
