The account of the Good Samaritan is how Jesus answered the ‘who is my neighbor’ question. Sometimes we are almost right, as was the lawyer in this dialogue. It is hard for me to remember the punchline in a good joke but I remember it in this terrible, good news – bad news, joke. I won’t tell you which is good or bad news. “A busload of attorneys crashed and went over a bridge into the water. There was an empty seat.” Sorry about that. In high school I liked the idea of becoming an attorney but am more of a science/math person. I had this ambition for my daughter who is passionate, persuasive, and bright, but she and God went with another plan. Mom’s do know a lot but we don’t know everything. I think the Samaritan account is more about religiosity than generosity. Religious types say the right thing and get the followers of Jesus in trouble when they don’t DO the right thing. Lawyers are expected to be experts. This lawyer knew truth but we don’t know if he followed truth. We don’t know if he knew that he was speaking TO Truth. He sounds like most of us with our divided loyalties. We are loyal to ourselves and what we want and still feel devotion to God. There is a little civil war going on here. In Luke 10, three or more men had a choice to practice empathy and help or not. We take the high road or the low road or cross the street and try to stay neutral. Failing to help is not neutral and you and I have faced similar dilemmas. The Samaritan took pity on the injured stranger. He processed the same scene and saw hope. The others did not. Did they see inconvenience or will any excuse do? It does not matter except that following Jesus’ example is what matters. The lawyer was testing Jesus – we do know that. The one who shows mercy is the good neighbor – we also know that truth. So go and be moved by the needy this Christmas. Adopt a cause that Jesus inspires. Go and do likewise but for these reasons that remind us from Isaiah 43. God formed you. God has redeemed you and given you a name. You are precious in God’s sight. He has honored and loved you. Fear not for He is with you. God says He has declared and saved. The Lord makes a way. Behold He will do a new thing. He gives water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. He blots out our transgressions for His own sake. He has saved us so we can rescue the rest.
