Walking On The Other Side Of The Road

"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." - Galatians 6:2

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost (sic) to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" - The New Colossus, Emma Lazarus November 2, 1883 

That is a quote taken from a plaque on the Statue of Liberty. It speaks to an attitude of compassion. This nation is a nation of immigrants. Our country was founded on Biblical principles lived out by fallible people. But as I reflected on Galatians 6:2, the story of the Good Samaritan came to mind. Taking on the burdens of strangers - well not even strangers - just others - will always cost you something. The motivation for reaching out to others is not with the hope of me benefiting from the benevolence, but me being obedient to the Word of God. It is an expression of the love of God through me.

"We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen." - 1 Joun 4:19-20

The Levite and the priest did not love God, they loved themselves and their religion. That did not include another Jew in a ditch or for certain, Samaritans. Walking to the other side of the road where the person in need is requires me to lay my life down - perhaps for someone who does not deserve my kindness. Sound familiar? It should - if you are a Christian you are benefiting from God's love, grace and mercy.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8

Recall - grace is getting what you DON'T deserve, and mercy is not getting what you DO deserve. The man in the ditch was a Jew and Jews did not like Samaritans. But a Samaritan looked past that fact and did what the priest and Levite were unwilling to do - go out of their way to help someone in need.

"On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘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.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” ... “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise." - Luke 10:25-29, 36-37

And my encouragement to you is - Go and do likewise. But I must caution you - in the face of the Spirit saying yes, your flesh - under the guise of pragmatism and being responsible - will say no - it's not your problem.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone