"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." - Luke 10:27
In a Lectio Divina study recently, our leader asked us to read this passage, Luke 10:25-37, and then jot down all the words that "stuck out". The crazy thing, here's what I wrote down: fallen, robbed, stripped, beaten, abandoned, left, half-dead & avoided! After a crazy year, which most of us have had, I assume that was just the place I was at in dealing with an overwhelming valley. But, then I got to thinking...that is actually ALL of us! I mean, think about it...all of us have fallen, we are sinners at our best! Sinners that walk through life being robbed, stripped, beaten, abandoned, left, half-dead and avoided! In SOME way we've all been there...and in some way we have actually wounded others with these things! Yes, it is true, "we all fall short"(Rom. 3:23). :-/
Hope I didn't burst anyone's bubble there! But no matter how much we try to think we are not to blame, that other's sin is worse than ours or that others have deep wounds to work on and we don't, etc...well, we will just never ever be right on any of these statements. Truth is, we all suffer and struggle with the SAME issues! So, instead of avoiding or abandoning "our neighbor", we need to do the best we can to help them!
Grace, mercy, forgiveness, love, acceptance, prayer...wish these would've been the words that stuck out as I read that passage! But, just as I have been wounded, I have wounded others by these things and so, I need a Savior to help me! I need a Savior to give me give the grace, the forgiveness, the mercy, the love and the compassion for the wounded! My brothers and sisters need these things from me...from Jesus! Let's just face it, we all need Jesus' eyes for everyone...including ourselves!
"The more you share My(Jesus) life with Me, the less you will choose to judge and condemn, and the more you will desire to reach out and rescue."- John Sielski
"However, don't become emittered by the men and women who took advantage of you. Remember that you and they share many of the same struggles." - Mike Klassen
"But if we are the Body Why aren't His arms reaching Why aren't His hands healing Why aren't His words teaching? And if we are the Body Why aren't His feet going Why is His love not showing them there is a way There is a way?" - Casting Crowns
"But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds" -Luke 10:33-34
So, as "no good" sinners, I pray He would give us all the grace, mercy, compassion, strength, knowledge and wisdom to BE good Samaritans...in His Name! May we bind up wounds, love each other and "go and do likewise"(Luke 10:37)
