But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.
Be good for goodness sake. With just a cursory glance at the story, that is the basic point of the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Take a closer look at the main character and you will learn much more about who we are and our prejudices. To the Jewish audience of Jesus at this time, there was no such thing as a good Samaritan, unless, flippantly, someone said, “a dead one”. They were the sworn enemy of Judah and if Jesus wanted to improve his story, he would make it a good Judean. He didn’t and for good reason.
Jesus exposed then and now, the human problem of self-righteousness. By making the hero of the parable an enemy, he teaches us to look at our enemies differently and to see ourselves as fellow sinners in need of a Savior. If the parable teaches us that, along with the proper way to love our neighbor, the Great Commandment, then it has done its job. Today, may we love those who hate us and see them the way God does.
Dear Lord, thank you that Jesus came for the lost and sinful, which is all of us. May we view people your way in this turbulent world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church