Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn
Every now and then a tragedy comes along of such proportions that everyone sees it. Most recently there have been the Batman and the shooting of the Sikhs in Minnesota. A year ago the Arab spring swept through many nations in the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe and a cousin of that, Occupy Wall Street, was getting protestors locked up in cities across America. Japan. Haiti. The BP oil spill. There were hurricanes in New Orleans and Tsunamis in the Indian Ocean. 9/11. In this world there will be trouble, and sometimes knowledge of that trouble even reaches to the hermits living in a cave in the mountains.
Invariably, whenever one of these tragedies invades our community consciousness nearly everybody will realize deep inside that with knowledge comes responsibility. The topic will trend. The break rooms will buzz. Wherever groups gather for a smoke, it will be their subject. Unfortunately beyond writing a blog, attending a benefit, or giving a few bucks, only a very few will actually do something. Very few will allow this tragedy to effect their life.
The Good Samaritan let it effect his life. When he saw the need, he responded in three ways: he went to the need, he gave immediate care, and then he brought the victim to a place where more permanent care can be given. I think for most of us, approaching the need is the most difficult part. Once we begin to act, it is easier to continue acting until the need has been met, but getting started not so easy.
I believe it was Shane Claiborne who said something on this that really caught my heart. When the woman poured the expensive jar of perfume and Judas said it should have been sold and given to the poor, Jesus responded, the poor you will always have you but you will not always have me. About this Shane (or was it Tony Campolo?) asked, how much do we really have the poor with us? To what degree have we distanced ourselves both geographically, emotionally, and with the time we spend from the needs of the poor? When was the last time Ive actually spent real time with someone who is truly poor?
After approaching that man, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wind then bound them up. While both oil and wine have medical purposes, I think it is safe to assume that the Samaritan did not have either one among his supplies for that purpose. The alcohol in the wine would be a disinfectant for cleaning and the ancient Greeks actually listed multiple medical uses for olive oil. The thing is, for both, the better their quality, the more effective it would be for healing. The concern shown throughout leads me to believe that the Samaritan gave up his best for anothers survival. To what luxuries am I holding on while thousands have nothing?
The Samaritan did not just stop after meeting the immediate need. He then loaded up that broken and beaten man and brought him to an inn. This Samaritan wasnt just out for a Sunday stroll. He was coming from somewhere and going to somewhere. He had people to meet, business to conduct, and a job to do. That didnt matter. He wrecked his short term schedule to take care of his neighbors long term care. To put it in a different context, he didnt just talk the man off the ledge, he then drove him to a counselor. He didnt pull the drowning man out of the water, he helped him sign up for swimming lessons. If he had simply bound the wounds, he could have walked away feeling good about himself, but it wasnt his own feelings that drove the Samaritan to serve.
Dear God, help not to simply see the need but then stop short of doing something about it. Teach me how to act. Teach me how to serve. Help me to have enough compassion to approach the unapproachable. Help me to remember that what you have given me is not mine but rather a gift for the world that You give through me. Help me to be willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of others. Help me to become more of the servant that You are.
