By Doug Sharpe
I haven’t studied enough of the bible. No really, I haven’t. I always get stuck. I start reading and then set up ‘camp’ over a particular chapter or verse. Just hanging on to where I’m at.
When I self-analyze why I might be doing this, I come up with all kinds of strange possibilities. Am I stuck because I’m lazy? Am I just looking for the easy path through the bible and stall when I hit the tough stuff?
Or maybe I’m stuck because I have ‘FOMO’. The ‘fear of missing out.’ Wanting to make sure I’m mining all that’s there for me.
I once investigated this a little deeper and learned that some students of the bible spend too much time analyzing a series of verses from all sorts of different perspectives. It can result in a person going way too far and finding things that aren’t even in the original text.
Hmmm…who knew that was a thing? But turns out, it is.
Even knowing this, I still can’t get enough of Luke chapter 10, starting in verse 25. Yup. The parable of the Good Samaritan. It’s definitely a place where I like to set up ‘camp.’
Love the parable. Love the message. Love that it’s still a river of revelation truth for me.
So, you know how the parable goes. A theologian of the day, asks Jesus what he needs to do, “…to inherit eternal life?”
You, see? That will do it for me! Of course, I’ll set up camp there because I too want to know what I need to do to inherit eternal life.
And it turns out the answer to that question is, love God and love your neighbour. Got it.
In addition to that, the parable also talks about a man found injured on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho. His plight also plays an important role in this parable’s ‘eternal’ life lessons. So, let’s take a closer look at what’s there.
How about this.
Like the Samaritan, when we come across injured people on life’s road who have fallen, “…among thieves,” and have been, “…left wounded,” is there also a moral obligation for us to have compassion for them?
And in this parable, the compassion of the Good Samaritan toward the injured man was expressed in a very specific way. The Samaritan went to the man, bandaged his wounds, poured oil and wine on him, and then lifted him up and placed him on his animal.
The Samaritan then set him up at an inn and asked the innkeeper to take care of him.
Now when I first read that, it’s easy to see how nice it was (of course) that this man helped the other man and quite likely saved his life. Because remember, it also says in the parable that the thieves left the man, “half dead.”
So, bravo! That must be all of it. Love God, and love our neighbour, including the ones we find half dead on life’s road, and we will have eternal life!
But wait…there really is even more to it. Important things to note. Let me share a couple of them with you and tell me if you agree.
First, I couldn’t help but notice that the Samaritan conveniently had with him, all the things he needed to help the injured man. Bandages, oil, wine, an animal for him to ride, and yes, he even had extra time. The time required to pause his own journey and care for the injured man.
I understand you could argue there is no great relevance in knowing this, but look at it a little closer. Where did all those provisions come from? I mean, as things you need for the trip down life’s road where does everything come from?
If you said, “God,” you are tracking with me.
Everything the Samaritan had, ultimately came from God and came to be ‘temporarily’ possessed by the Samaritan. And just like in our lives, it matters what we do with what God has given us.
Are we using what God gave us to help those around us on life’s road that have been set upon by thieves and are left wounded? Good question and worth testing.
How about the authority God gave us as citizens of the Kingdom of God? Are we using it to alleviate the distress of our neighbour? If you don’t think you are, check with your Pastor because he knows how to access and activate your Kingdom authority here on earth.
Or, how about our authority as a citizen of Canada? We do possess authority as citizens, and to be clear, it came from God not the federal government.
But are we using this citizen authority to heal those around us who are wounded? Worth looking into because there are so many ways, we can care for those around us that are injured on life’s road.
How about, taking action as citizens of Canada to advance a parent’s right to raise their children the way God wants them to? It’s an authority we possess but are we using it? (If you’re not sure how to do that, please call me. I can help.)
Okay, so you get my point. God gave us authority in many forms here on this earth and we possess that authority in great part as something we can exercise as we care for our neighbour.
Let’s look at one more part of the parable of the Good Samaritan that you may not have noticed before.
Did you notice that the Samaritan, after delivering the injured man to the inn, gave the innkeeper instructions on how to care for the injured man?
I can’t help but seeing that as the establishment of a ‘public policy.’
The Samaritan took out his own money (or more accurately the money God gave him) and then used his personal authority as a free person to establish for the injured man the parameters of his care at the inn. A health care policy was set in place by one man.
Do we have authority to set policy as citizens of the Kingdom of God here on earth or as citizens of Canada? Can we direct how it is that those injured around us on life’s road are cared for?
We sure do and we sure can! And I can show you how. Just give me the chance as it would be my pleasure to serve. My cell phone direct is 250.488.5609.
In the meantime, please praise the Lord with me for all He gives us. So that we can use things like Kingdom and citizen authority to care for and be a blessing to our neighbour.
Especially those who are injured.
. . . lets USE what God gave Us.