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"Characters" July 11, 2010 - Sherry Lohman Luke 10:25-37 The good Samaritan; it's a story many of us learned as kids, in Sunday School. It's a story that kids easily understand (as demonstrated today). It's a story that teaches about compassion-spontaneous compassion, for our neighbors./ Of course, the word "neighbor," in this passage is loosely defined. As Christians, we might wonder how it could be, any other way?/ We are all very aware of how easily one can skirt around the word, circumventing any notion of neighbor. Somehow, other words, like "illegal immigrants," or worse, "aliens" (as if people have arrived from outer space). The words, in themselves, label others in a negative light that promotes boundaries.// There's nothing new, here. The hierarchical system has been in place since nearly the beginning of time. Even the God's were in competition for first place. Strip away all of our peculiar identities until nothing is left but our humanity....and it seems then we might live as God intended. That's what Jesus seems to be saying in this scripture. The injured man's identity is not known. Jesus simply refers to him as, "a man who fell into the hands of robbers." It could have been anyone; Jew, Gentile, peasant. He's just one of the players in the story. We know nothing about his character. We know a little more about the character of the others, don't we? The priest sees the man, left for dead, and justified by the purity laws (not touching anything naked or presumably dead. He could touch a corpse only to bury immediate family), he not only refrains from helping, but crosses to the other side of the street. You know, I wonder if the church doesn't act, at times, like the priest. We sometimes allow our fears and rational to get in the way of reaching out to help. We justify with reasons why we shouldn't do this or that. It's easier that way. We don't have to deal with it. In our personal lives, we want to know what's in it for us. We've got enough on our plates. We don't need to invite more. Ever catch yourself saying that? It's not our business. We don't want to get involved. It's true with the Levite, as well. Like the priest, he is justified in his detachment./ If we had a scale from 1-10 for purity laws, the priests and Levites would be right up there at the top. But the Samaritans.....folks, they don't even make it on the list. The Samaritans fell far below. In other words, the Samaritans were considered somewhat unclean, themselves. The Priests and Levites maintained their social status. They didn't mix with folks not in their social class. So, the fact that the injured man had no clothes would make it difficult for them to know his social status. It's possible that the Samaritan might have been a trader. We're told he possesses oil, wine and considerable funds. Many traders were wealthy, profiting at the expense of others. In fact, they were considered thieves. They frequented inns that were notoriously dirty and dangerous and run by persons whose public status was below even that of traders. Are you beginning to see this "good" Samaritan in a different light? In truth, he is despised by others; an outcast....the kind of person you don't want around-don't want your kids to be hanging out with, and certainly don't want as neighbor.// A few weeks ago, our Holy Grounds Coffee group met at Panera's. As I was leaving the mall, I came upon an accident that had just happened a few moments before. An elderly woman had tripped, fell and hit her head on the curb. Her eye was swollen shut, black and blue, and she had cut her head open, so there was blood dripping from her face. A young man, I wouldn't guess he was more than 21, was kneeling beside her, holding pressure to her wound. He had already called the ambulance. He didn't know the woman-just happened to be there when it happened. // Nothing so remarkable, you might think, except that this young man had tattoos up and down the sides of both arms and an earring pierced through his eyebrow./ He might not have been who the woman would have picked to come to her aid. He might not be the person you would have picked, either. But this young, tattooed man, the good Samaritan, in this story, was the hero of the day. Jesus calls him "neighbor." There's nothing in it for him. He has help to offer...he's not afraid; doesn't justify what he should or shouldn't do. You see, mercy takes us where we might rather not go. We may ask, but will happen to me if I stop to help? The Samaritan asks, "what will happen to him if I don't stop?" And then again, "what will happen to me, if I never stop-never show compassion to someone in need-what happens to our soul?" We, as a the church, can ask the same question....how can we help? How can we show compassion to the outcasts? True, we may face some things we have never faced before....but what will happen to the church if we don't help? Mercy takes us where we might rather not go. We are all brothers and sisters; all created by the same God who loves each of us, unconditionally, whether we come from a good home, with proper morals and values, or descend from an sad, impossible lineage. We belong to God. And our task is loving others. Remember, it was the lawyer who asks Jesus what he must do, because this guy wants it all, forever. He doesn't ask what he should believe, or what prayers he should recite. And what does Jesus tell him? To love God as deeply as he can, and love his neighbor as he loves himself. But Jesus doesn't just end it right there....he adds, "do this, and you will live." Do this...don't just think about it. It's like the Nike ad: "Just DO it!" And you will live....not just looking forward into eternity, but today....you will live. Let's meet some new neighbors. Amen. |