The Road Home

This is my third post in a series rooted in Luke chapter 10, dealing with the account of the "Good Samaritan". However, no where in our text is the Samaritan referred to as "good". That designation has come about due to the humanitarian acts that he performed. It is simply a descriptive word to set him apart from the rest of the population of Samaria, who were by some accounts rogue; in that they held religious beliefs that were in opposition to traditional Jewish doctrine. In Bible times, the Samaritans were generally considered a people of mixed heritage; many of which were the offspring of the captive Jews (that remained after the Assyrian conquest) and the Assyrians who took over the land. ( A brief summary can be found on Wikipedia).

My point is this, Jesus makes it obvious that the "Good Samaritan" is the traveler's neighbor and vice versa. He does not indicate that either of them were necessarily godly or Christian. He simply describes the Samaritan as doing the right (righteous) thing. In this case, that is showing mercy to one that is needy. 

We read no more of the lawyer, but I'm sure he had much to think about. He had no problem with the loving God part of the requirements to inherit eternal life, but was looking for an "out" when it come to what persons he had to love in order to live forever. Apparently the lawyer had not heard Christ's discourse on the Mount of Olives. (See Matthew 25:31-46)  Verse 40 states, " Verily I say unto you , inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

What were the righteous acts of the Good Samaritan? He looked upon the traveler with compassion. He dressed and medicated his wounds. He gave up his own ease of transportation by placing the traveler upon his beast. He took him to a place of safety and comfort. And he anticipated the future need of the traveler and made arrangements to pay whatever expenses that followed.

It is one thing to see a need make an effort to meet it. Yet, quite another to help a person to reach a place that they can then take care of themselves. There is this thing called "time". We tend to value it more than the balance in our bank accounts. I have been guilty of giving a few dollars to assuage my conscience, when it was "time" that I should have spent with the needy person. 

Ummmm, seems this post has taken a turn. No longer talking about being a Good Samaritan or being neighborly. Now, I'm talking about living the righteous life, the Christ-like life, the part of eternal life that we live here on Earth. You see, the road home (heaven) begins in the here and now. Let's get about our Father's business, let's be what He has called us to be, let's put the passion back in our walk with Him. There are untold millions, struggling to find the road home. It is up to us, to show them the way and walk with them until the way is plain before them.

 

The Other Side of the Road

 Many of you are familiar with the account of the "The Good Samaritan" but for the sake of those that are not, I have provided the following scripture reference:  Luke 10:29-37 KJV.

The entire point of Christ's answer to the lawyer, is simply this; your neighbor is anyone that you encounter along life's journey. And you are to love that person in the same manner in which you love yourself. 

My previous post deals with the traveler and the thieves. This post will target the religious men that saw the traveler, passed by him, and went on their way. It is saddening to recognize the parallel that exists between this pair of religious men and many of today's ministers. However, it is not my aim to point out the flaws of various ministers, but rather, it is to cause you to take inventory of your own motives and actions.

We can glean from verses 32 & 33, the fact that both the priest & Levite were traveling along the same side of the road as where the robbed, beaten traveler lay. And the scriptures are clear that these two saw him and crossed to the other side of the road. They did not want to engage with him in any way. And certainly, they did not want to become "unclean" by reason of any physical contact that might occur, if the beaten man was, in fact dead. See  Leviticus 21:1-4 . 

In other words, the priest and the Levite were more concerned about reaching their destinations "clean", than they were about rendering aid to a poor soul that had been robbed, beaten, & left for dead. Perhaps  they were on their way to Jerusalem to minister. If that was the case, then they simply could not afford to become unclean; else they would have to forfeit their ministering for seven days. See Numbers 19:11. And that would prevent them from receiving any offering/compensation for that days's labor.

So, it might not have been about their state of cleanliness. It may have been about missing out on what they had planned to do and what they had expected to receive. Hmmmm... how many times do we hurriedly pass by the homeless, lonely, the stranded motorist, and etc? How many times do we do just "a little something"instead of taking the time/effort to fully see to another's needs? How many times do we avoid the nerd in the class, the noisy co-worker, the broke friend, or even the social media posts requesting prayer?

Just think about it. Question yourself. Examine yourself.  Do you really love your neighbor as you love yourself? Matthew 22:39 KJV  Love is kind and love is patient. You may not be a priest or Levite, but you are called to be like Christ, you are called to be a minister/servant. If you need a refresher on what real love is all about, read I Corinthians chapter 13. Think I'm going to stop right here & read it again.

The Road Taken

Let's take a closer look at Luke 10: 25 - 37. The lawyer wanted a specific definition of who indeed  was his neighbor. Rather than spilling off the answer, Jesus presented him with a "story" that allowed the lawyer to draw his own conclusion. And I believe there was a bit of Holy Ghost conviction that fell on all those who, in their mind, had asked that same question. 

" A certain MAN went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and FELL among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead." Luke 10:30 KJV

Most folks would understand the phrase, "fell among thieves" as to mean; the thieves surrounded the man. That is certainly true, but I would like to add that the thieves were already there, waiting for a victim.

No doubt the man knew that his chosen route from Jerusalem to Jericho was a dangerous one. The road itself was commonly referred to as "The Way of Blood". Yet, still traveled by many people because it was the shortest distance between the two cities. And many of the travelers were priests, Levites, and others who were either going to Jerusalem to worship or returning to Jericho from there.

The traveler did not choose to be beaten and robbed. He did not choose to be left for dead. However, THE MAN MADE THE CHOICE TO TRAVEL A DANGEROUS ROAD. 

Life in and of itself is dangerous and getting more so, every day. The main choice we have in life is the way in which we choose to live it. If there is a less dangerous route to get where you are going, then take the safer path. If you have no choice but to travel a perilous road, then cover yourself in the blood of Christ and go. He has promised that He will never leave nor forsake you. In the mean time, "be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" I Peter 5:8 KJV

What of the thieves? I have little to add about them. They behaved as thieves. They accomplished their goal. We read no more of them in this passage. Yet, their actions served to create the opportunity in which the Good Samaritan displayed true Christian compassion. Hmmm.... instead of looking at the times you have been "beaten, robbed, & left for dead", ponder the intervention of Jesus and the good Samaritans that He sent to rescue and restore you.

There is so much to glean from this passage. I will be posting additional observations in the coming days. Meanwhile, study it for yourselves. Feel free to leave comments or questions (anytime). Let's grow in God's Word, together.