Imagine if while Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan he threw in a fourth character who arrives just before the Good Samaritan. We’ll call him the concerned Samaritan. This character sees the injured man, offers him a cup of coffee and a chat and tells him that the registered services who are qualified to help him with his particular issues are currently full and gives him a phone number of somewhere to call the next working day. What would Jesus say about this character?
Or, imagine if while Jesus was telling the parable of the sheep and the goats he added some lamas. This third group of people saw the homeless and instead of giving them a home gave them a cup of coffee, someone to talk to and the phone number of a service for homeless people with a six month waiting list. What would Jesus say about the Lamas?
Last weekend while at work driving a homeless to a slightly safer squat it struck me that I am the Concerned Samaritan and the Lama. My job limits me from going the extra mile as such because I’d be breaking all sorts of safety protocols. I'm finding this difficult to say the least.
Or, imagine if while Jesus was telling the parable of the sheep and the goats he added some lamas. This third group of people saw the homeless and instead of giving them a home gave them a cup of coffee, someone to talk to and the phone number of a service for homeless people with a six month waiting list. What would Jesus say about the Lamas?
Last weekend while at work driving a homeless to a slightly safer squat it struck me that I am the Concerned Samaritan and the Lama. My job limits me from going the extra mile as such because I’d be breaking all sorts of safety protocols. I'm finding this difficult to say the least.
6 comments:
wow...that's challenging, Chris - especially when you're involved with the needy more than most of us.
One thing that might comfort you (without taking away from the very real challenge you raise) is the point that even Jesus didn't personally/physically sort out all the needs of everyone he ran into while on earth.
In Acts 3, Peter and John prayed for a cripple who had been begging every day at the temple courts....the same temple Jesus had visited several times.
I think there's scope for you to see yourself being sent to these people in Jesus' name. "Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee" (as the song goes)....so you're not able to supply every need, but you give the help you can, and trust God to work with that.
Oh, and for all of us - "ask the Lord of the harvest to send more workers"....Lord, help me, and all of us your church, to come alongside the poor and needy - to give what we can...add to the solutions, reduce waiting lists....
praying for you and your ministry...and thanks for the reminder and challenge of who you are, what you do and how you are being stirred!
Hey Deb,
Thanks for the encouragement.
I guess of late I've started to feel uncomfortable singing songs like "Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee". I know that if I look around my immediate circles that I'm not as rich as many around me but compared to the rest of the world and compared to the rest of history I'm very very rich. For example I could squeeze another person around the dinner table (I might not east as nicely), I could squeeze another person into a bed in the house (it might mean sharing some rooms).
I guess, in short, I'm questioning where I've set my "that's all I can give limits". Any way, thanks for following my journey!
I agree with Deb, while Jesus did heal some, he also said pick up your mat and walk, and he stood in defense of the woman caught in adultry, but he didn't give her a flat, food and a new life, he said go and sin no more.
What I've learned in the recovery community that I didn't learn in my early Christian walk, was the idea that I can be of service or I can get in the way of what God is doing.
My experience directly relates to poeple struggling with addictions, but it's a universal idea... I can think that I'm being a "good follower" by doing everything for someone to assist them, taking them in giving them food doing things for them that they could do for themselves, but I'm in jeopardy of getting in God's way. I give a helping hand, extend love and let God do what I cannot. That's how I look at the idea of "walking as Jesus did." He still had the fishermen lower their nets, still had the woman caught in adultry 'sin no more' and still asked the crippled man to 'pick up his mat and walk.' The struggling person needs to look to God for help, not me, I can carry the message of my experience with God to lead him/her there.
That sounded a little harsh, but the idea is true... I do still provide when someone is in need as well, but I look to God to tell me what to do with each case (at least I try to do that.)
Hey Chris!
I have read this blog many times without even realising I knew the author. Its James here from the Red Frog Crew.
I too am often challenged by this idea (probably because, at the moment, I don't do NEARLY enough). I think about the whole concept of 'catching fish vs teaching to fish'. I could do everything for a person, but that doesn't empower them.
I suppose the problem comes when you are still teaching them to fish...perhaps in that time giving them some fish isn't so bad?
It is challenging however!
Hey Jess and Middo,
Thanks for the comments.
Jess I think what you are saying is true, however I have seen similar ideas taken to an extreme where people are saying things like "God only helps those who help themselves" and using the person needing helping lack of moral fortitude of feelings of hopelessness as a reason not to help them.
James your "I suppose the problem comes when you are still teaching them to fish...perhaps in that time giving them some fish isn't so bad?"
These tow comments inspired my latest post.
Thanks!
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