The other side of the road

Saturday 1-10-15 (Edmonds, WA)   Gen 25-26    Ps 3   Luke 10

S.  Luke 10:30-37  Jesus replied with an illustration: "A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes and money, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. "By chance a Jewish priest came along; but when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by.  A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. "Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt deep pity.  Kneeling beside him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him.  The next day he handed the innkeeper two pieces of silver and told him to take care of the man. 'If his bill runs higher than that,' he said, 'I'll pay the difference the next time I am here.'  "Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?" Jesus asked. The man replied, "The one who showed him mercy."  Then Jesus said, "Yes, now go and do the same." NLT

O.  Two men, both religious, one a priest and one a temple assistant, took one look at a beaten, perhaps dying man and made a wide berth to avoid getting too close to him.  “The other side of the road” allowed them to pass without the injured man’s pleading eyes and deep groans of pain reaching their hearts. 

A.  Many of us live on the other side of the road.  We practice looking the other way when hungry, suffering, mistreated people of other races are accidentally placed in our pathway.  We justify ourselves down in our hearts.  We say to ourselves, “He should go out and get a job.”  Or “If I give him a dollar he will probably spend it on drugs, liquor or cigarettes.” We are really good at looking the other way.  We have chosen to live on the other side of the road.  Some tell us that more than half the people of the world lay beaten and bruised and many are dying of starvation.  We find a way to justify our lack of attention and participation.  What did that unfortunate man really need?  He needed one thing that the true doctrine of Jesus can offer.  Love!  “Oh!” someone will argue.  “These kind will take advantage of your expressions of love.  They will deceive you, manipulate you, misuse you and harm you.”  Unfortunately they are probably right.  Jesus came unto His own people.  Yet although He overflowed with love and compassion, His own people refused Him, beat Him, and killed Him and placed his crushed body in a cave.  Even knowing what awaited Him, that did not stop His kind of love.  His love was the kind that gives it all and when there is nothing left to give, gives His life for the ones He loves.  Maybe we cannot cure all the needs of the world, but when we are made aware of the needs of others… we can make a choice to draw near and seek a way to help.  The Samaritan man did.

P.  Oh Lord, I preach to myself.  Sometimes they seem to be standing at every signal light with outstretched hands or little handwritten signs.  I am good at making excuses.  Too busy… have an appointment… no change on me…  Lord, You have heard them all.  I dare to ask you for a heart like that good Samaritan man.  He risked his time and wealth to help a man of a despised race.  No repayment… nothing, but a story written forever in a book… not a book, but The Book.  What is that You are saying, Lord?  You are right now writing the story of my life?  

Ralph