Thought for the Week 23rd April 2017

1.      Up close and personal – we need to get close to people if we are to see them as God sees them.

Luke 10:25-37

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Whenever I read the parable of the Good Samaritan I am always amazed at how it is both remarkably simple and, at the same time, extraordinarily profound.  In some ways, joining Jesus in His mission is like this.  Not a difficult concept at all, but something that we will never be able to do on our own, we need to do it WITH him not FOR him.

Look at the simplicity of what Jesus says when different people saw the man beaten up and left on the road:

First, the priest passed by on the other side, then the Levite passed by on the other side.  It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to picture these two people, both of whom considered themselves religious.  You can so easily picture them, wearing their flowing garments and making their way along the street and then, as they see a person in need, passing by on the other side!  They crossed the road to avoid him!  They went out of their way not to have to go close to this unfortunate man.  And then, in just as simple a fashion, Jesus says that a Samaritan walked by and came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 

Do you see the utter simplicity of it?  He ‘came where the man was and saw him’.  He didn’t cross the road and ignore Him!

Joining Jesus in His Mission means drawing close, looking at people and asking Jesus, who is with you by the Holy Spirit, to help you to see what He sees, to have His compassion!

What is so difficult about that?

Unless, like the Priest and the Levite, we like to look as though we are religious but are not really seeking join Jesus in His mission.

This week, don’t pass by on the other side but draw close to those around you who need Jesus.