SecondIron's Blog

Sharpening Iron to Live Second

Good Samaritan, Going Beyond the Parable

One of the most famous parables of Jesus’ teaching is that of the Good Samaritan. After the tragedies that have surrounded the world recently. I think it is timely that it be the reading at church this past Sunday.

Good Samaritan, Going Beyond the Parable

It is a stark reminder of how we should be treating one another. We have been quick to pass judgment as our newsfeed fills with one senseless event after another. Are we any better now than the priest of Levite in that story? Are we kind to our neighbors, our brothers, and sisters?

On the streets between Jerusalem and Jericho, a man robbed, beaten left to die. To die alone as passerby’s ignored his pleas for help.

How are we much different as we pass judgment and move to the other side of the street, to avoid each other rather than love one another?

Homeless, prostitutes, and more, we step to the other side of the road rather than encounter them. The color of someone’s skin makes us angry, or the badge they wear. Refugees from all over the world have become a political hot potato no one wants to touch. Are we not all God’s children?

In the parable, it states that we should love our neighbor.

“‘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, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ~ Luke 10:25-37

Who is our neighbor? Does that mean you should only love those that live on your end of the culdesac? Perhaps even your enemy is also your neighbor. You know the guy at the end of the street that yells at you for letting your dog use his yard. Or is it the clerk at the convenience store that is having a rough day. Maybe even the police officer that pulled you over, whether you think his cause was just or not.

“The Good Samaritan indicates a lifestyle, the center of which is not ourselves, but others, with their difficulties, who we meet on our path and who challenge us.” ~ Pope Francis

Living a lifestyle outside of our little world, where other people matter. A way of life where skin, religion, or orientation do not matter. Each and every person that crosses our path has their sins big or small that they deal with every day. Jesus came to heal all wound with his blood poured out like wine. The Good Samaritan pours out oil and wine to heal the unknown man, his neighbor.

I would love to hear how you and your community are able to find your own healing?

Question:How can each of us go out and love our neighbors more? Share your comments below and let’s continue the conversation.

About Charles Johnston

Charles is a Christian, husband and father of fur-kids who shares his walk with others in hopes to help other's along the way.

3 Replies

  1. At first, I thought you had read my mind. I live at the end of a cul-de-sac, I’ve had a neighbor yell at me about my dogs in his yard! LOL I agree with this… our neighbor is everyone around us. Not just our “neighbors” on our street.

  2. Candace Crosby

    A great analogy wherein you tied the Gospel readings to the horrific acts that are happening throughout our Country. Satan continues to rear his ugly head and cause suspicion and strife, anger, hatred and revenge (or retaliation) for incidents that are far beyond our control. We need to draw our strength from the Bible, and remember that Jesus continually preached peace and hope to everyone around him. Remember the Sermon on the Mount and the 8 Beatitudes? Wow, that applies more today than ever. And ultimately Jesus was arrested, beaten and murdered because people were tired of hearing of him and the crowds that began to follow him. Those are some mighty big shoes to fill today, but it may also come to pass that we have to die for our faith. Keep up the good work!

  3. God looks at our inside, while man looks on the outside. But we are just one race, the human race, we all came from Adam and Eve. http://www.courageouschristianfather.com/one-human-race/ We are all related to each other too. The world is growing darker and darker and turning its back on God more and more. Christians are afraid of men and not standing up for what God believes anymore either. Jesus is a great example, he crossed many racial boundaries in His ministry. Even the woman the well in Samaria. Jesus saw a soul that needed to be saved, not a person of a racial background. We need to see others as Jesus sees us. Thanks for sharing your blog post. God Bless.