Devotional For the Week—11 Sep 2006

The Samaritan They Called Good

Scriptural Text: Luke 10:25-37

Many organizations around the world have used “The Good Samaritan” as their name or motto so much so that many have become familiar with this story. However, sometimes familiarity results in us glossing over the deeper meanings and lessons of this parable.

Let us now explore the rich teachings that this parable offers.

1. The teacher of the law who asked Jesus, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”, was an expert in the law. As such, when Jesus replied asking “what is written in the Law?”, the teacher was able to quote from the Old Testament, “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 neighbour as yourself”. This statement is a summary of the Mosaic law which remains applicable today. Our horizontal relationship with man is often a reflection of our vertical relationship with God. In 1 John 4:20-21, we are told that if we do not love our brother whom we can see, we cannot love God whom we have not seen. Whoever says he loves God, must also love his brother.

2. The teacher of the law knew the correct theology but lacked the ability to put God’s commandment into practice. Jesus knew this and that was why He replied “Do this and you will live”. If we do not translate knowledge into action, eloquent statements of God’s commandments are useless.

3. The teacher also did not understand the all encompassing nature of the commandment. Jesus asked the teacher “How do you read (the Law)?” to which the teacher answered “...who is my neighbour?”. The teacher was certain that the answer would be similar to the Rabbi thinking of the day, which was, to love those in our social circle and those whom we love. Instead, Jesus’ parable of the good Samaritan revealed these precious lessons:

(i) Our compassion must not be driven by the worth of the person but by his need. The injured man in the parable was robbed and beaten badly. It was mentioned in the Bible that he was left half dead. The Priest who was the representative of God, in olden times, passed the Samaritan by. We were not given the reasons for his behaviour. However, we could infer that it was not because the priest had to remain ceremonially clean since we were told that the priest was going to Jericho from Jerusalem. Any ceremonies that needed to be performed would therefore have already been performed. The Levite (who was akin to our modern day worship leader) also failed to help the dying man. The Priest and the Levite were not monsters in holy garb. They represent 80% of us, ordinary decent religious people who are capable of incivility if, to be civil, causes inconvenience.

(ii) Compassion does something. The Bible described the Samaritan as feeling compassion for the injured man. The original Greek word for ‘compassion‘ described a feeling far stronger than gut feel. This meant that something churned within the Samaritan and he could not simply walk away without helping. What do you feel when you see another in need?

(iii) Compassion reveals our humanity. If the Priest and the Levite felt nothing for the injured man, it was likely that they had little love for mankind. If they felt for the injured man but did nothing to help, then they were out of touch with their own humanity. Animosity between the two races did not stand in the way of the Samaritan. His compassion for the injured man made him “colour blind”. He saw a man in need and his actions, though simple and practical, were powerful. It is easier to donate money than to sacrifice our time and energy to serve another. That day, the Samaritan donated money, time and energy. He acted like Jesus in that he came to serve. How are you serving?

(iv) Compassion costs us something. Whatever the Samaritan had to do in Jericho, he would have been delayed by helping the injured man. In this day, time is money. Has the tyranny of time wrecked our priorities? The Samaritan man did not help the injured man in a superficial way. He went the extra mile and was willing to forgo his own comfort in order to make another person comfortable. What are your priorities?

During olden times, robbers sometimes used an injured man as a ploy to trap and rob passer-bys. By stopping to help, the Samaritan faced this risk. In our day, volunteers who help people with infectious diseases or those who work with the poor in unhygienic conditions face risks too. What are you willing to risk in order to help another?

(v) Compassion’s enemy is selfishness. Some excuse themselves by saying that serving others is a task for those in a special ministry. This is wrong. Every child of God must be like the Samaritan. Who is your neighbour? A family member, a friend, a colleague, a stranger, an enemy? We need to love them as we love ourselves. This is the radical discipleship to which we are all called!

Prayer Response

Dear Lord, thank you for teaching me through this parable to have compassion for those in need, even our enemies and the unloveable. Help me to be sensitive enough to know who needs my help and to be willing to give of my time, energy and money to serve another. Amen.

Devotional based on a sermon by Dr Roland Chia.