Who is a Good Samaritan?

 

Vincent Van Gogh, The Good Samaritan- 1890

"A helping hand can be a ray of sunshine in a cloudy world." ~ unknown

✋David & Goliath.  Superman & Lex Luther.  Holmes & Moriarty.   Harry Potter & Voldemort.  Hamilton & Burr.  Regina George & Cady Heron.  The Palestinians & Israelis. The Hatfields and McCoys.  The Red Wings & the Avs.  What do they have in common? 

All famous enemies-some real life, some fictional.  

✋ Even if you aren't familiar with many of the stories in the Bible, you probably know the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:29-37, and are wondering what this has to do with enemies.  

"A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him, and beat him and departed, leaving him for half dead.  Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.  So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.  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.  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." 

So who is a good Samaritan and why is that label so significant? Sermons are preached and often even secular news stories refer to "good Samaritans".    

✋ Picture this:  The Jews and Samaritans hated each other, stemming back to the division of the land of the twelve tribes of Jacob's 12 sons.  The people who eventually became the Samaritans had intermingled and intermarried with those who worshipped false idols, while the Israelites maintained their belief in the one true God.  Eventually, as the feud grew, it led to believing differently about which Temple to worship at, with the Samaritans building their own.  For years the hatred grew between the two groups, to the point they were forbidden to marry each other. 

True enemies.

 

✋So when the priest passed by the injured man and crossed to the other side of the road, he possibly thought it would be best to just stay out of it.  Maybe he told himself - "It's none of my business; maybe the attackers are still around.  Besides, I might be late to my church meeting."

Then along came the Levite (someone who worked at the Temple), who even looked at him to investigate a little further, and then continued on.  Maybe he thought, "I really am not a doctor so I shouldn't mess with this.  I can't be late to work; the work of the Temple is important -they need me."

Who would have ever anticipated the Samaritan would stop and help this Jewish man?  For years and years they were enemies and no one expected him to not only take time out of his day to help bandage his wounds and relieve his pain (possibly putting himself in danger by spending more time on this road), but he took him on his donkey to an inn so he could recover and paid for his stay.  He then went back to check on him and take care of any future expenses if needed.  He saw him as a fellow human being, not a labeled person. 

✋Martin Luther King Jr. put it this way: 

"I imagine the first question the priest and the Levite asked, "If I stop and help this man, what will happen to me?  But by the very nature of his concern, the Samaritan reversed the  question, "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?"

✋ How many opportunities do we miss to help people because of the way it will impact us-the inconvenience of it all?  

    

I think sometimes it's easy to assume someone else is probably going to help and that we don't really have time.  Besides, my schedule is crazy right now-fitting one more thing in would be ridiculous.  Or that we're not in a position to do that much.  Or we should just stay out of their business.  Or even - they deserve this.  

✋ Our schedules are busy, and maybe we can't help that much.  I have to remind myself that if I can't do something for 15-30 minutes that is unplanned in my day and could add to my stress, then I am too busy and something has to go.  

Before we assess and predetermine our situation or categorize people as "those" people ('who shall not be named'), could we ask God to help us view all people as those who Jesus died for?  And therefore, not our enemies.

 A small act of kindness to someone who just needs to know someone is thinking of them doesn't always have to be like taking on a major project.  

✋ As we go out the door and encounter the homeless, the young mom or the elderly person who needs an extra hand, those who don't align with us politically, those who won't be able to pay us back or even know our name, maybe we need to decide that we are just going to take the time.  

Because if not us, what will happen to them? 

✙ Heavenly Father, You gave Your one and only Son for us - each and every one of us - out of love.  Please don't ever let us redefine that by thinking it's not for some.  We humbly thank You for including us in on that incomprehensible gift.  None of us deserve it.  Help us to humbly remember that each and every day as we encounter all the others You sacrificed for.  Amen.