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Text: Luke 10:25-37 * Jesus knew that we don’t respond well to “stats” or “graphs” (or even Sally Struthers), so we listen as he uses a narrative (story) to teach a life-lesson. These “once upon a time” stories are meant to create mental images which will not easily be forgotten, but they always seem intent on helping us better understand God, humanity and his decision not to leave us alone. * Admittedly, there is usually some intentional “shock value” to the story. It’s hard to imagine that any one of us might be so cold and calloused as to actually encounter such a scenario (someone beaten to unconsciousness, lying bloodied and half-naked in the middle of the road) and be able to walk around it and continue on. But we often seem to possess the capacity to walk by it with our eyes shut! * So, in light of the story, allow me to offer these reflections… ►Avoid stereo-typing the wounded. Every time we are exposed to a person in need, we either consciously or subconsciously decide what we believe to be true of that person. They are either… …helpless victims (unwitting product of some unfortunate socio-economic environment) or, …habitual losers (deserving of the consequences; “you made your own bed…”). * Our conclusions allow us to distance ourselves from the wounded and attach the label: “one of them”.
You’ll never risk engaging the wounded until you see yourself as “one of them”. * We have to learn to see wounded and broken people through the lens of our own woundedness. * Maybe it’s just because we’ve seen way too many “Will work for food” signs; too many “Can you spare some change?” appeals. And, the “God bless you” tag is even more uncomfortable!! (in Houston: sign that read: “I’ll be honest, I just want to buy some beer!”) ►Learn to see the needs of people, not just “needy” people. Our lack of compassion over the brokenness of our “near ones” simply confirms that our heart does not yet beat in rhythm with God’s. * I’m amazed at what we are able to “accept” in life (“That’s just the way it is”.) That approach to life has conditioned us to believe that somehow we’re not responsible. But, “acceptance” is also the initiation of faith. It means that I fully comprehend the reality of the situation and must then choose if I believe that my interaction with an invisible God might somehow be used to restore or transform the situation. ►Maybe instead of sorting people out, we should be welcoming them in. Interesting that Jesus would use a Samaritan as a means of exposing their lack of compassion. Samaritans were prime targets for discrimination. When foreign countries invaded Israel, they often displaced the Jews and brought in their own citizens. So, the Samaritans were a result of an intermingling and seen as a defiled people; “half-breeds”, if you will. In context, they would be the “Good Hamas Member”. ►Christianity isn’t appealing if it only does what comes naturally. What we desire is a means of living “supernaturally”. * Jesus was trying to demonstrate that what we would need was a different kind of love; when people would say, “That’s not possible; I could never do that”, he could say, “You’re right!”. “Who is my neighbor?” (not a point of clarification, but a means of justifying himself and relieving himself of responsibility). ►The condition of our heart will always define who becomes our neighbor. The indication in the story is that we can’t just be a neighbor, we must ‘become’ a neighbor. ►Focus on relationships and not remedies. If we’re honest, our attempts at a quick fix for people are simply our desire to eliminate the need for on-going participation with their woundedness. You can’t be a “savior”, just a “companion”. * But Jesus is underscoring the vital connection between loving God and loving others. He repeatedly makes it clear that you can’t love a God you can’t see if you can’t love those around you who are clearly visible. 1 John 4:20 If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen? Our loving response to others is one of the clearest indicators of our love for God. ►Learn to see people as “on the way” and not just “in the way”. Most of Jesus’ compassion ministry took place “on the way” to someplace else (i.e. phrases like, “While he was going…”, “As he was leaving…”) Maybe our goal is not just the destination, but our destiny (synonyms: providence or divine intervention… God-moments!) “Why do we look away?” Because we are uncomfortable with pain, or the poor or the broken. So, we settle for a glimpse of them out of the corner of our eye instead of clearly bringing them into our line of sight. One of the greatest tragedies of the human existence is to go unnoticed. If no one notices, then we assume that no one cares. ►If we refuse to look inside, it will always force us to look away. “Why not look around?” It simply requires us to step over the line from awareness to compassion (active mercy). 1 John 3:17 “But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help – how can God's love be in that person?” * This, then, is he challenge for all of us as students of Christ: when we feel we are most inclined to look the other way, or take another path, Jesus urges us to stop…notice…open our heart…take action. We see a need, we recognize it is within our power to meet the need, we choose whether we will shut our eyes and go on our way or move toward our neighbor with compassion. “Where is my neighbor?” THERE! (State Farm’s slogan: “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there”). “Where is there?” In our own hurts, we say, “Thanks for being there”. BEING- speaks to presence. THERE- speaks to context. It’s the essence of incarnational living. * What distinguishes a neighbor is usually just their willingness to get involved. No particular qualifications, no outstanding physical or mental capabilities… just “getting in”. * This is the beauty of the life that Jesus has called us to. It requires no specials skills or intellect (rarely does a drowning person ask for the CPR or WATER SAFETY CERTIFICATE from the person attempting to save them); but, it does require involvement…which requires courage! * In my life, I have often not been able to distinguish “courage” from “stupidity”. I have also discovered that life is often “messier” and more “complex” than the seemingly “hypothetical” scenarios that Jesus paints. * It’s easy for me to hear the stories and be able to pass the “multiple choice” test that Jesus would give at the end. * But sometimes, the drowning person actually ends up drowning the one attempting to save them. I guess it’s about adopting the Coast Guard slogan that I came across several years ago… “You have to go out. You don’t have to come back” (i.e. young drug-addicted man who came to my office. He involved me to the point of risking my own life. At that point, I had to decide if helping him was worth the risk of my own personal safety.) ►Make sure you understand that getting used is often a part of being used. Our most notable response is that we just don’t want to “enable” them or “endorse” a counterproductive lifestyle. So, we compromise…we don’t do anything! * I have decided that it is better to help “some” who are irresponsible in the process than to let the truly needy suffer from the screening process! The question is not so much, “What do I have to give?”, but “What do I have to lose?” * Maybe “being with God” and “being with others” are one in the same. Maybe we can’t truly “be with God” without “being with others”.
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