A family of disheveled and dirty individuals sat by the roadside on a Sunday morning. The women were dressed in the typical Muslim fashion, and it was obvious that they were all in some distress. The mother was sitting on a tattered suitcase, holding a screaming baby wrapped in a dirty blanket. The rest of their belongings were tossed carelessly on the side of the road. Smoke was pouring out from the engine of the car, and the look on the weary father’s face told the story: the vehicle was beyond repair – both financially and literally. An older sibling desperately tried to corral two dirty-barefooted toddlers.
In the distance, a car appeared. The father’s eyes lit up as it drew closer. In the car, the local pastor was on his way to church. Though the father waved frantically, the pastor told himself that he could not be late on his ministry and the people. He drove on by. After all, church had to start on time and it could not begin without him.
A second car came barreling down the road. This one was driven by a deacon from another church in the area. He slowed down as he passed, but certainly had no time to stop. It was expected that he be early for services, as a good example. And he was always the one to start the coffee for his Sunday school class. So he, too, drove on.
A third car drove up to the weary travelers and rolled to a stop. Out of the vehicle jumped the most outspoken atheist in town. He prided himself on never having attended a church service. He called the Bible useless garbage, and those that followed Its teachings, he called worse names than that. He enquired as to the family’s needs and discovered that they were new to the country. Everything they owned was on the side of the road. He patiently loaded them into his vehicle, speaking calmly to each of the children. He then collected their belongings and loaded them into and on top of the car. He drove them to a local motel, where he paid upfront for a week’s lodging, while the father looked for work in town. He even gave him the names of some contacts. He then arranged and paid for a rental car for the family to use, and left a small amount of cash for food and some items for the baby. Before he left, he gave his contact information to the front desk, advising them that he would pay for another week if it came to that.
Which of these three men showed Christian love and compassion? Which of these three was the most neighborly?
In case you missed it, we have just modernized the parable of the Good Samaritan. It is in Luke 10:25-37. According to Henry Virkler’s book on Hermeneutics, “because a parable does not confront us in the same way as it did the audiences of Jesus, some scholars suggest that the best way to understand a parable is to retell it with new points of reference that elicit the same response in today’s audience that the original parable did in its own.”
Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart once did this very thing by modernizing the Good Samaritan in their own way. Their conclusion? “The startled and angry response made it clear that our hearers had really heard the parable for the first time in their lives.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “I would dedicate the nation to the policy of the Good Samaritan.” Secular Humanist Bertrand Russell pushed this theme as well when he said that “what the world needs is Christian love and compassion.” Standing the test of time is the parable, given by Jesus Christ, of the Good Samaritan. It could perhaps be called the parable of the neighbor, although it arose from a question the importance of which far surpasses the simplicity of “who is my neighbor.”
Nonetheless, even in our country charitable organizations and companies often include the name Samaritan. Even hospitals and clinics bear the reference. We are familiar with slogans such as: “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.” “Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man,” and even, “All-State, you’re in good hands.”
All of these slogans, and many more, find familiarity in the parable of the good Samaritan. And yet, during the time of Christ, being a Samaritan was not a good thing at all. Robert Lee, in his book Handfuls on Purpose, says that “by this glowing parable, our Lord has rescued from reproach the word Samaritan.” And truly, that is a wonderful side-note to this passage in Scripture.
A name that was synonymous with worthlessness, contempt, and rubbish, has been redeemed by Christ Himself and brought up to dizzying heights. For by and large, when the name Samaritan is used now it is in reference to help, hope, and health. And this is what Christ can do. Here, with a simple parable, and in the lives of people everywhere. He can take the broken, the worthless, the write-offs, the hopeless, and he redeems them – making them precious.
Sometimes, our neighbors can be tough.
One time, my wife and I were trying to annoy the person whose apartment balcony was next to ours. I guess annoy is the right word. We stood on our balcony and threw mega-blocks (large Legos) onto his balcony. He never came out of his apartment, but we found the blocks neatly outside our door the next day.
Bob Phillips notes this witty bit of sarcasm in one of his books, “Summer must be over, my neighbor just returned my lawn furniture.” And there is also the saying, “My neighbor is keeping me broke. He keeps buying new things.” Which speaks right to the familiar phrase, “Keeping up with the Joneses,” which we all know means we don’t want to be outdone by our neighbors.
And yet, Bertrand Russell, in spite of humanistic worldview, hit the target: the world does need Christian love and compassion. Recently, I saw a Facebook post from PragerU that said a survey of atheists showed that they wished more people would go to church. I didn't read the article or view the survey, but this would actually fall right in line with Russell's thinking.
If only more Christians would live out the love and compassion Christ modeled for us and demands from us. The finger of the parable is pointed straight at us and our compassion and love has been called into question. And what are some of these pointed questions that we ought to answer?
Are we reaching out the way that we ought to be? Are we truly showing the love and compassion of Christ, regardless of how much it costs us, regardless of how much time it may take, regardless of how uncomfortable it may be? Do we dare to ask God to give us His heart for those who need it most? Do we have the courage to confess a lack of compassion, if it exists?
Jesus said to the lawyer, "Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? " And he said, "He that shewed mercy on him." Then said Jesus unto him, "Go, and do thou likewise" (Luke 10:36-37).
Jesus forced the lawyer into action. There is no place for the in-one-ear-and-out-the-other approach in this parable. The finger is pointed at us.
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