Samaritan

He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall 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 your neighbor as yourself.”
(Luke 10:26–27)

We live in a polarized world.  Division confronts us daily on a host of topics, no small thanks to social media and the 24/7 news cycle.  The division rises up in many areas; politics, religion, culture, race, sexual preference, and gender identity are just a few of the divisive topics we face.  It makes you long for the day of an argument over owning a Ford or a Chevy!

As believers in the resurrected Christ, our treatment toward those holding different perspectives and opinions is vital to a fruitful daily walk with the Lord.  Jesus called us to love even our enemies, a high hurdle for us to traverse.  Whether it’s an enemy, neighbor, or family member, He did not say, “Love their opinions,” or, “Love their point of view,” or, “Love their behavior,” or to “Love their sin!” He called Christ-followers to love others personally, sincerely, and sacrificially.

In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis writes, “Do not waste your time bothering whether you “love” your neighbor act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less.”

Jesus confronts this topic in the parable found in Luke 10:30-37 regarding the Good Samaritan.  A man, headed from Jerusalem to Jericho, is attacked by thieves.  He is stripped of his clothes and valuables, beaten, and left for dead.  Later, two of his Jewish countrymen, priests no less, saw him beaten, naked, and left for dead, pass by him and doing nothing.  They render no aid.  However, a Samaritan traveling the same road saw him and stopped to render assistance.  He became the “Good Samaritan,” and three qualities characterized his actions.

Uncomfortable Compassion
“But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.” Luke 10:33

In his book, “The World’s Most Powerful Leadership Principle,” James Hunter speaks extensively about love and its place in family, business, and life.  He asserts love is misunderstood as a “good feeling.”  I love my car, my boat, my home, etc., are phrases often associated with love.  In other words, if we do not feel good about something, we don’t normally associate it with the word love.

In Jesus’ parable, the Samaritan likely did not “feel” good about his situation.  The Jews were known for their disdain for the Samaritan people, and those feelings were often mutual.  These two ethnic groups shared divisive religious and cultural opinions.  But the Samaritan overcame any feelings of resentment and rendered compassionate aid to his neighbor.

Jesus calls us to love our neighbor and our enemy with the same love.  Love is patient, kind, humble, respectful, selfless, forgiving, honest, and committed.  When we examine our actions and attitudes towards people of different cultures, politics, worldviews, and religions, do they measure up to the Biblical test of love? Or, do we find ourselves saying, “I have no patients for people like that.”

Messy Closeness
“He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.” Luke 10:34

The good Samaritan was a man of action and did not wait for the man to ask for help.  The Bible says, “He went to him…”  He was willing to get his hands dirty.  Again, according to Hunter, love is a verb.  Love takes action.  The good Samaritan bound up his wounds, placed him on his animal for transport, and brought him to an inn so that he might care for him while he recovered.

Understand, love can be messy.  Some people are just harder to love than others!  When we love with godly love, we may find ourselves in messy situations, not unlike the Son of God.  Jesus set the example for us.  He showed love to a prostitute who worshiped Him by washing and applying ointment to His feet.  Jesus frequented the homes of his Pharisee enemies for dinner.  He even touched a leper at one point, which was unthinkable in His day.  Without any doubt, Jesus repeatedly demonstrated that He loved all people regardless of their relationship with Him.

Loving Sacrifice
“And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’” Luke 10:35

When the time came for the good Samaritan to travel again, he left the injured man’s care to the innkeeper but not without ensuring his patient’s care.  He covered his care cost and promised to pay for anything else upon his return.  In a real sense, the Good Samaritan wrote a blank check for a stranger.  That’s love.

Recently, Tim, a middle-aged man, attended a fundraising gala.  He turned to his wife during the event and said, “I think I am supposed to give a kidney.”  His wife did not know that he recently saw a social media post from a friend requesting prayer for a friend who needed a kidney transplant and that God had spoken to him about giving this gift.  After few questions and the initial shock of such a statement, Tim’s wife agreed.  Then came an awkward phone call, where Tim offered his “extra kidney” to a stranger, the road to transplant began.  In God’s perfect way, Tim’s kidney was a match for this stranger, and today she has new life because of Tim’s sacrificial gift.

Jesus, the ultimate Good Samaritan, set the example when He stepped from the realms of glory into our sin-cursed world.  He gave his life’s blood for us, who were once His enemy.  The parable of the good Samaritan came in response to the question posed to Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”  What was Jesus’ response?  Whoever you see in need of help is your neighbor.  May we as Christ-followers become the “Good Samaritans” in our neck of the woods today.