February 25, 2023 — “Will They Stop?”

“Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall 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 your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:25-37

The husband and wife were sitting in their car coming home from work this Friday evening. Traffic was a mess, mostly because it was a Friday night after work. They were the third car in line at a red light and talking about things husbands and wives talk about after work, when the husband noticed a young man trying to cross the street. It was getting dark, so it was at that point of the commute where some people have their headlights on, and some don’t – some of the street lights have come on and some have not. He had the walk sign lit indicating he was permitted to cross the street – at least according to pedestrian laws. He was about in the middle of the cross walk when the husband blurted out, “He’s going to get hit.” In an instant a car turned left at the intersection and (in what appeared like slow motion), the car hit the pedestrian knocking him to the ground. The husband, who was driving, sat there waiting for someone to go to his aid. Cars drove past and didn’t stop. The drivers of the two cars in front of the couple did not get out of their cars. Finally the husband put the car in park and told his wife “You take the wheel and find some place to pull over.” The husband ran to the man lying on the ground and was able to provide some aid and comfort until the police arrived. The driver of the car who hit him never came to his side – instead they were on the phone to police, we assume.

What kind of society have we become where we see someone who needs our help, and because of our schedules, or our turn at the red light, or the total inconvenience of the situation, we choose not to get involved. Of course we cannot save everyone, we argue. And that is true. But it is too convenient to just say “I am too busy.”

Will you get involved when presented with such a situation? One interpretation of the parable of the Good Samaritan says this: The Priest and Levite did not stop because they were worried about what G-d thought of the Samaritans – the Good Samaritan stopped because he was worried about what G-d would think of him, especially when G-d gave the interpretation to “love your neighbor as yourself.”

Let us pray: Dear G-d, give me a heart of mercy and love. No matter the circumstances, if I can be of help to someone today, guide me to do your will. Amen.

Pastor Dave