November 3, 2018

Would You Help?

“But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.” – Luke 10:33

Most of us are familiar with this story. Jesus told us how the priest and the Levite saw the victim of a brutal attack and just kept on walking. The Samaritan, the one who knew rejection, was the one who stopped to help.

We all know the point of the story. We are to love others as ourselves, to show kindness and compassion to everyone. We miss that Jesus meant just that: everyone. Not just those who look and believe like us.

The Samaritans were half-Jewish and half-Gentile. The Jewish people wanted no part of them. They were all about purity in their bloodline. Do you remember the woman at the well? She was surprised that Jesus would talk to her because she was a Samaritan.

I wonder if the Samaritan was able to show such kindness because he knew what it was like to be rejected. I wonder if perhaps he helped because he understood what it felt like to be cast aside. I wonder if his actions changed the man he helped.

The hard truth is that those who have suffered greatly sometimes have a greater compassion for others. Those who have had their lives destroyed are more likely to show mercy on those who are experiencing the same. We reach out and embrace those who are hurting because we, too, have known deep hurt.

I’ve heard all those sayings about how God breaks us in order to remake us. There’s some truth in that. How could we possibly know how blessed we are if we never experience true heartbreak?

Please note, too, that it wasn’t the religious leaders who helped. It wasn’t those who thought of themselves as men of God who gave of themselves. Did they consider themselves too important? Were they worried they would be defiled and kept from the temple for a time? Did they truly have no compassion on someone who was in such sad shape?

The Samaritan didn’t just offer a prayer. He didn’t thrust a few coins in the man’s hands and go on his way. He gave of himself. He tended the man himself. He paid for him to stay in a hotel. He sacrificed his time and his money to see to the needs of a total stranger.

Would you have done the same? Probably not. Most of us would have walked on by. We might have called the police. We might have said a prayer or offered money. But we wouldn’t have stopped. We wouldn’t have gotten involved.

I know. There’s a real danger in our world. Sometimes people die when all they’re trying to do is good. Therein lies the true question: How much are we willing to risk to follow Jesus?

Jesus said to love others as ourselves. He didn’t say to only love those who look like us. He didn’t say to only love those we actually like. He didn’t say to love those who see the world as we do. Jesus said to love everyone.

Can we do that? Can you do it? Can I? It’s not an easy road. But, then, following Jesus was never meant to be easy.

October 11, 2018

Love Your Neighbor

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

– Luke 10:29

“The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:31

It’s the day after. Hurricane Michael destroyed so much yesterday. Even now, it’s wreaking havoc on other areas. For those where I am, well, today we begin to pick up the pieces.

There are trees to cut up and remove, roofs to tarp until roofers can get to them. Some will be replacing windows and vehicles. Others, hurricane refuges, will grieve for all they have lost.

Facebook has proven to be a good outlet for locating family members, friends, work associates. Storm devastation prevents all but first responders from entering many areas and, with cell service not available, all many can do is pray and wait. Strangers helping strangers. One person posted a photo of a daughter, her husband and their two children so that a frantic mother could know they are fine.

The Coffee County Baptist Association Relief Group headed out this morning. Other religious and civic groups did the same. There are people to be fed, to be helped, to be held through their tears. Strangers helping strangers yet again.

My community was hit by a devastating tornado 11 years ago. It destroyed the high school. Eight students died. People came from all around to help. We remember that and we pay it forward every time something awful happens in another community.

The unfortunate truth is that people are kinder, friendlier, more apt to help strangers, when something awful has happened. Devastating storms bring out the best in us. It’s like we suddenly remember that we’re neighbors, no matter how far apart we live. We remember that Jesus told us to love people, to help others, to do good.

So, we fan out in droves. We pray without ceasing. We donate water and canned food. We hand out pillows and blankets. We pull on work gloves and offer generators. We share what we have because we know it could easily have been us. We love people where they are and forget to notice differences.

I wish we could be like that all the time. I wish we would help the elderly without being asked. I wish we would share and speak kindly. I wish we would focus on what we have in common and look over our differences.

Maybe that’s the lesson God is trying to teach us. Love your neighbors, whether you know them or not. Love your neighbors, whether you live close or far away. Love your neighbors. This world is hurting so badly. Just be Jesus. That’s all. Just be Jesus.

Friday, February 12. 2010

Reach Out To Others

"love your neighbor as yourself." -- Leviticus 19:18b

The Boy Scouts came to church last Sunday for their annual program. They do things like present the flag and lead the congregation in The Scout Oath. One section of the oath calls for scouts to love the Lord with all their heart, mind, soul and strength. It also calls them to love their neighbor as they love themselves.

What a wonderful thing to teach kids. Doing good is what it is all about. We are blessed when we do for others. It always comes back to us. And on and on.

Several years ago a woman I know was at her wits end. She had twin infants, an almost teenager and a husband on his second tour in Iraq. She lived in the country and away from family. The youth group at church showed up at her house one Saturday and spent the day doing yard work. She is somebody others forget. Young and able, we would say. Middle-class and not suffering, others would add. But pushed to the limit emotionally and physically, this woman was struggling alone where no one noticed. Or so she thought. She rarely missed church after that Saturday. She felt the loving embrace that some young folks extended to her.

I've heard old-timers talk about how farmers always used to help each other. If one was sick, the neighbors gathered his crops. Sometimes this still happens. When our neighbor died suddenly, he left hay cut and waiting to be bailed. While his family was at the funeral home, friends came and bailed the hay. A small gift, really, that took one burden from the grieving family.

Love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus thought it was so important that He repeated it. In Matthew, a man asks Jesus about how he can have eternal life. Jesus mentioned several things, one of which was "love your neighbor as yourself."

Sometimes we don't do anything, even though we feel prompted by the Holy Spirit, because we're afraid of rejection. Or we really don't know what to do. It's the thought that counts, an old cliche tells us. And it's true. A note to a friend who's feeling down. A short visit to an elderly church member whose days are now spent in the nursing home. A kind word to a child who feels left out.

One of the best ways to show God how much we love Him is to love His children. We are all family. His family. Take time today to reach out and show someone you care.

We are called to think about others, to want good for everyone just as we would want good for ourselves.