The Civic Responsibility of Being A Good Samaritan
The Parable of the Good Samaritan Becomes a Civic Ideal To Reach For.
God calls on us to be Good Samaritans. After the flooding of the past week, there is a major demand for Good Samaritans. Many have answered that call. Various people have rendered help, transporting and providing supplies to those in need.
It’s that time of year that we celebrate what makes us well… us. The Fourth of July is near, and as a result, it’s time to celebrate what makes our country awesome. Like our diversity, our right to our opinions and views, defined to us by our Constitution. Our country was shaped by the visionaries that were our Founding Fathers. These were men like George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and various others. The people who drafted our Constitution. Many of them signed the Declaration of Independence years back in 1776. Their intelligence was one of a kind. George Washington was just as much a philosopher and man of deep thought as he was a military general, which is a rare kind. These men realized that great civic power came with great responsibility.
Most of these men were practicing Christians. They saw how there faith made them strong spirituality within themselves. It also provided forethought into how to mold the country that they were creating. The Founding Fathers made a country for Christians, but not just Christians alone. They made a country that would accept anyone who embraced freedom, regardless of there political or religious affiliation. The wanting of freedom is the same, regardless of the background of that person. The needs of the citizens are the same, regardless of there attributes.
As a result, they saw what was needed to be a good citizen. A society would fall apart if people didn’t uphold there rights or that of others. The parable of the Good Samaritan becomes a civic ideal to reach for. This was a parable told by Jesus about the ones that you have expected to help the person who was beaten and left by the side of the road. The ones who were the official leaders of the law ignored the suffering of the person in question, and the person who was least expected to render help was the one who reached out.
Jesus referenced the Samaritan because they were despised by the Israelites. The parable was told in the Gospel of Luke in Chapter 10 when a religious teacher asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. To be more specific, Luke Chapter’s 10:25-37. Jesus responded with “Love Thy Neighbor”, which the teacher then responded, who is my neighbor.
This is how the verse went:
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.”
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 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, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
“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.”
It was typical for Jesus to tell parables in a manner that his audience could relate to. He would have encountered several questions from various people, from random listeners in the audience, to teachers that wanted to know more. One could make the safe assumption that several of the teachers wanted to test Jesus. Maybe they didn’t like his teachings, and wanted to catch him off-guard. Maybe some were genuine in the pursuit of spiritual knowledge, and wanted to know more. The type that find the journey more interesting than getting to the destination. Maybe some wanted to test him to see if he was genuine or a phony. Maybe some tested him so that they could elevate there own status, and fulfill there own ambitions, as if spirituality was a game, a not the pursuit of Salvation or Enlightenment. Maybe the teacher wanted to validate his own self-righteousness and worldview for his own benefit, and not for that of others.
Jesus was asked what we must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus responded with the greatest commandment. Love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and all your mind. The relationship with God is a total commitment. Not only that, that love is to be reflected back in kind to those who are around us. We don’t love God unless we reflect God’s love back in kind. It’s demanded if we are to have that relationship with God.
As mentioned in this parable, the traveler who was on his way to Jericho from Jerusalem was robbed and beaten. A priest went by, as well as a Levite. A Levite is a person who descended from the tribe of Levi, which descended from Jacob and were very religious in nature. The Levite also ignored the beaten person for reasons. Maybe he didn’t want to get his Levi jeans messy. Who knows? Anyway, a Samaritan, a person belonging to a group of people despised by the Jews, had compassion on his suffering. He took him to an inn where he covered the cost of the living arrangements while the beaten man recovered. The Samaritan bounded his wounds and poured oil and wine over them, which was a common way of treating wounds during that time. For the beaten man, the one who demonstrated compassion and love wasn't the ones that were expected to render that help, but the one who took the initiative, ie. the Samaritan.
As a person who likes to make my sermons as educational and informative as possible, who are these Samaritans? I’m not just going to assume that you know them like the back of your hand. The Jews and Samaritans didn’t like each other. Why? The Samaritans are a ethno-religious group that claims to be descendants of Ephraim, which was one of the tribes of Israel. According to Wikipedia, there are only 810 Samaritans today as of 2018.
It’s important to note that at the time right before the Babylonian invasion, there was no modern concept of Israel or Judaism. Essentially, Israel was a loose confederation united by various tribes which had a lot of autonomy. These tribes, while they had a lot of common overlap, also had various unique traditions, and most of the Biblical stories were told orally, and they were different tribal variations of these stories as well, like Job, Exodus, and Genesis.
While there were written accounts and scrolls, they were often unique to that tribe. There was no Old Testament, Torah, or Jewish scrolls to speak of. Each tribe had there own oral history of biblical accounts that were passed down generations to generation. Each tribe also had there own variations of religious beliefs that could be compared to them having there own denominations. We say religious beliefs because there was no one version of Judaism. The modern religion we know today didn’t exist before the Babylonian invasion. The modern version of Judaism didn’t come into being until during the Babylonian exile when the Jewish tribes were away from there home for the first time. When they got back, the various tribes got together to formalize there beliefs as a single religion. This is where modern Judaism began. All the oral stories, like Genesis, Exodus, Job, etc. were collected and written as the Jewish scrolls which eventually became the Old Testament. However, the Samaritans rejected the formalization of Judaism, instead selecting to embrace the version of there religion that predated the Babylonian invasion. This was where the split happened. This is why the Israelites didn't associate with the Samaritans.
Who Are Our Neighbors?
This parable is a representation of the community spirit by demonstrating good leadership, displaying acts of compassion, as well as fostering civic responsibility within that community. The fact is that we live on a planet of several billion people. As Christians, we are not called to conform to the ways of others. At the same time, we still have a moral and civic responsibility to take the initiative by displaying acts of kindness and compassion and to render help to those suffering.
In Luke, after Jesus told his parable, the teacher asked a follow-up question: Who is my neighbor? It’s insinuated that he did this to elevate his own standing. The answer that Jesus provided is universal. We live on a planet of several billion people. Therefore, we have several billion neighbors. There are many people in need of spiritual outreach. During his ministry, Jesus rendered help to those marginalized by society, like the tax collectors and prostitutes, the poor, those suffering from horrific diseases, etc.
Relating in a modern sense, there are people who are suffering from diseases that are in need spiritual outreach. There are people grappling with harsh private issue. There are women contemplating abortion. Our role within the church is to offer spiritual guidance for her to make that decision on her own, not dictate that decision for her. We would be stepping out of our spiritual role if we dictated that decision for her. Jesus would still want us to demonstrate compassion for her, regardless of the decision that she makes. She is still in need of spiritual guidance, and will need that Good Samaritan, regardless of whatever decision is made.
Pope Francis has spoken about reaching out to the spiritual needs of homosexuals. Now, we know of the Church doctrine regarding this topic. He pointed out that the Catholic Church is not going to change it's Doctrine to accommodate homosexuality. The Bible does have its establish views covering the topic. However, we are not asked to change church doctrine to accommodate it. It's possible for us Christians to reach out to them for their spiritual needs, because Jesus would have demanded us to do so. They are in need of Jesus’s love as well. There are people suffer from drugs and alcoholism that are in need of Jesus as well.
The parable of the Good Samaritan teaches that we need to render help to those in need of it, regardless of there backgrounds, beliefs and affiliations, as everybody is our neighbor. We can’t use the excuse: We didn’t render help because he was gay and it challenged my beliefs. She belong to a different religious organization than I conform too. I didn’t help him because he’s an atheist. Her lifestyle would be condoned if I helped her. Even as he was dying by the side of the road, I didn’t give him precious water because he wasn't in this country legally. The Good Samaritan dies when we give in to our worldview, fear, stereotypes, perceived anxieties, stereotypes, biases, and prejudices.
The fact is that all the people listed in the examples above are living humans. They are still in need of outreach because the needs of the person are the same, regardless of there backgrounds. Jesus called on us to render help to them and others, because it was part of his ministry of Salvation. The parable of the Good Samaritan was taught so that we could put those ideas into practice, and not for them to remain an abstract concept.
The story told in Luke is also is a warning against being pious and self-righteous, as even they are sinners that forget that they are well…. sinners. Often, when people start embracing a pious attitude, they start feeling that they and others are beyond help. They forget what makes a Christian a Christian. Christianity becomes a label at this point that one attaches for convenience and self-identity for the purpose of making ourselves look good. They forget that everybody is a sinner, including them and us. We are not called to embrace the act of condemnation, which is the complete opposite of Jesus’s message of Salvation. One day, the one who claims that they are holier than thou art could fall into unfortunate circumstances, and people might not show compassion, as he didn't demonstrate compassion on them.
Template for a Good Citizen
As with any sermon, its important to see how this message can relate to us within the modern context. Embracing the role of the Good Samaritan us vital in our society. It provides the template of rendering help to others, regardless of our views. Pain knows no economic status. Disasters know no political and/or religious affiliation. Pain can be inflicted on anyone, regardless of who the person is. As a result, everybody is in need of help. It’s important for those that can render that help to provide it.
Recently, there was the floods that occurred here in the valley. Many people were affected by it. Homes were flooded, and several people lost a lot of there possessions. Businesses got flooded as well, disrupting people’s lively-hoods. Several are now in need of help. They were victims of an unfortunate situation that was beyond there control. Bad experiences are a part of life. As a result, there is an importance to reach out to those in need when those disasters strike.
Being the Good Samaritan strengthens solidarity because everybody is working together for the common purpose of helping those in need. Cooperate and teamwork promotes the community spirit. I still remember the work that was done after Hurricane Dolly back in 2008. All of us worked long hours reaching out to the community, offering food for those that needed it. Our canteen, or mobile kitchen, could reach areas that were badly affected, reaching those who had issues getting out. One thing that we need to remember is that our needs are the same as well, regardless of our personal attributes. We all need shelter and food to survive. Kindness is what was demonstrated by the Good Samaritan.
Often one who assumes the role of the helper feels that they must make some grand gesture to make an impact on those suffering, but often, this isn’t the case. Just being part of a team and helping out is playing that vital role. Essentially, being one of the team players and embracing teamwork. Working together is important because when there is unnecessary division, then nothing gets accomplished.
There are poor people now that need attention. We need to display compassion to the homeless vets that have sacrificed their own needs so that they could serve our country. Many, especially the Vietnam Vets, lived through their own personal hell as well. In many of the major cities in our country, there are homeless children as well. Children that don't have parents for whatever reasons. Maybe they died or they rejected their children.
Now that it's Summer time, there's those that are trying to stay cool. Across the valley, Mother Nature is unleashing her fury. The heat can be felt everywhere. Many thirst for water and to stay cool from the unforgiving heat. Many are going through the pain of not able to stay cool for whatever reasons. These are the people that we're called on to help. They are still people, and they have both physical and spiritual needs that need fulfillment, and we are called on to reach out to these people as well. During his ministry, Jesus reached out to the poor and those marginalized by society on multiple occasions. He feed them as well on several occasions. He realized that people's spiritual needs would not have been fulfilled unless their physical needs have been meet as well.
During the Summer 2014 immigration wave, the attributes of the Good Samaritan was exercised again when the community, several churches, other religious organizations, and various non-profit organizations came together to render help to those that made the very dangerous journey coming over here, often risking there lives on a regular basis. Many were ready to render help to those that needed it the most. Regardless of where one stands on the immigration issue, one still needs to demonstrate the attributes of love, kindness, and compassion, because like that beaten traveler by the side of the road, these are living people, not worthless animals as described by some. You can’t ignore there suffering just because there actions don’t conform to your political beliefs. The Good Sanitarian calls on us to pray for those that are in need of help and facing the unknown.
Examples of people being the Good Samaritans is constantly seen in the Bible. The Macedonia Church put the idea of the Good Samaritan into practice when they were donating to those suffering in Israel when they were going through the famine described in the book of Acts. The Macedonia Church was a poor congregation. But yet, they gave everything they had to help those in suffering. Jesus demonstrated kindness for those who had leprosy, diseases, and those who were Samaritans.
Other Responsibilities Of The Good Samaritan
Being a Good Samaritan does come with responsibilities. We raise awareness to the beaten man lying by the side of the road. Jesus spoke up against injustices. As mentioned earlier, they are Christians in many parts of the world that are physically and verbally assaulted and abused because of there beliefs. These Christians need that Good Samaritan It is our responsibility to speak for those that have been persecuted at the hands of ISIS, Boko Haram, and those in China. If theirs been acts of discrimination for Christians for there beliefs, we need to speak for and represent them as well. However, it doesn’t end there.
The reason why is that religious discrimination and persecution can happen to anyone, regardless of there beliefs. The act of persecution is the same, regardless of who is at the receiving end. As a result, there is a civic calling to represent others who have been discriminated and persecuted for there faith as well.
If someone who practices Buddhism and Hinduism faces mockery because of there faith, its the responsibility of the Christian to speak up against the injustices committed against them as well. If a hate crime in this country occurs against a Muslim person because of there faith, we need to speak up against there injustices as well. If a gay person has been assaulted as well, we need to speak up and represent there grievances as well.
In the college setting, if an atheist student is harassing a Christian student, then it’s the responsibilities of the Christian students to stand up for that person. Vice-versa. If a Christian is harassing an atheist student because he just saw a movie that stereotyped all atheist as angry, hateful, demonic heathens trying to destroy Christianity and people’s faith in Jesus, then other Christian students need to call out there own as well. Harassment can go both ways.
The idea of the Good Samaritan goes global too. We need to speak up for the 1-3 million Muslims that have been placed in political re-education camps in China. There suffering for there faith as well. Also, don’t forget the Rayhegar Muslims that are facing genocide in Myanmar because people on Facebook are posting fake stories of them committing mass-murder against Buddhist.
Because of the crimes of genocide in Myanmar, the future Muslim extremist of tomorrow are being created as the cycle of hate continues. Buddhist who have been assaulted for there faith as well. Several of there temples Tibet have been closed at the hands of the Chinese government. They need representation too.
Editors Note: Because persecution is a universal issue, if I cover this topic in depth in the future, I would be required to acknowledge the various groups that suffer from it, and not just the Christians, because it can happen to anybody. It’s our moral and ethical responsibility to represent those who have been victims of persecution, regardless of there background. We need to act as the Good Samaritan on there behalf. If we act like this only happens to us and nobody else, then an issue as important as persecution is trivialized. Anyone can suffer from it, and the act of it is the same, regardless of those inflicting it or those suffering from it. If we show lack of empathy for others who are facing persecution because of there faith, they will respond back in kind when it happens to Christians. Suffering of faith isn’t restricted to Christians, and we need to acknowledge there suffering as well. There pain can’t be dismissed just because there not Christians. If we dismiss there pain, then they will ignore our pain as well. Jesus would have demanded us to show compassion for those suffering, regardless of there faith or religious affiliations.
It’s the intention of the Founding Fathers for us to be good civic leaders in our society. The role of being a good Samaritan is demanded from us. A demand from Jesus, and reinforced by our Founding Fathers. We are called to recognize injustices that are committed against us and others as well, because injustices know no race, religion, and gender. We are all equal to it regardless of who we are.
When our country was founded, many Jews came over here from Europe to reap the fruits of freedom. They were flat-out terrorized in many parts of Europe. Pogroms, or official declarations calling on the masses to terrorize Jews and to do everything horrible to them short of killing them, were often issued. Many died anyway. The Jewish communities that sprang up in this country helped created a culturally rich society for our country, among various other groups, from Ireland, Germany, France, Britain, Mexico, China, Japan, India, Africa, and elsewhere, have contributed to our country in various ways. Our melting pot of diversity is a beautiful blessing, not a curse. We need to remember that on this very special day that will happen in a few days when we celebrate our country. We must also remember what makes our country special, and those that made those sacrifices to make it what it is. Those that fought for our country, both on and off of the battlefield. Those that fought for our freedom overseas, as well as those that fought for it here, taking up the cause of equality for all. The Good Samaritan are represented in those that embrace the idea of civic equality and freedom, attributes that define our country.
Bible Gateway
WWW.BIBLEGATEWAY.COM
Parable of the Good Samaritan
Wikipedia
EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Samaritans
Wikipedia
EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Patheos
WWW.PATHEOS.COM
EN.FORBES.COM
Religion in China
Council on Foreign Relations
WWW.CFR.ORG
China Must End Its Campaign of Religious Persecution
POLITICO
WWW.POLITICO.COM
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Wahhabism
WIKIPEDIA
EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG
2017 Rohingya persecution in Myanmar
EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG
“God’s Not Dead” and the Angry Atheist Professor: That Was Not My Experience
Christ And Pop Culture
CHRISTANDPOPCULTURE.COM
Comments
Post a Comment