REAL Mercy

When I read the Good Samaritan parable, I seem to ease in and out of consciousness. After all, this story seems so played out. "I've heard that before...not again!" my mind screams.

But then again, God has a lot left to do with me. Identification is a good starting point.

Think with me...when have you been in need, in a place where you could identify with the certain man? Being honest, I have lived, as my wife would say, a pretty "fluffy" life. Not much hardship, failure, hopelessness, desperation...not much need.

But we all can identify, to a certain extent, feeling invisible, neglected, as though we were dispensable. To bring this parable to life we have to meet this certain man there, in a place of need.

Just as I settle in with this feeling, being uncomfortable, recalling feelings I'd like to bury in the past, the identification shifts. When have I had the opportunity to show mercy, to meet someone in a time of need and actually help? It doesn't take long to have a depressing laundry list of examples. And my response is often, "I'm busy, it costs too much, I can't trust them, they live way over there, I'm not equipped for that." Excuse after excuse providing justification, the rationalization for every instance.

What an odd place Jesus takes us--identifying with both sides of the story, relating to the needy and those who neglect the needy. Even within ourselves we can begin to sense a deep connectedness.

And then the foreigner, the Samaritan, comes to convict and inspire. His role is to rip down the veil of dissolution we have hung on the line of our dissections.

Our individualistic culture reinforces the separations we have established. But we are connected. We can do more...I know it is disabling to try to identify ways we can show this kind of radical, REAL mercy. But we can.

We can do this locally, regionally, internationally. How can we live this out? After all, we are linked one to another. I open the floor to discussion.