The Samaritan

Last night I was reading the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37.  

Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed,he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

I have read the story many times, but I felt clearly the question "Which would you be?"

The Priest was a Holy ordained man of God, the descriptions of the characteristics of a priest, present this embodiment of Christ - Holy, kind, having spiritual leadership, with the ability to invoke heavenly influence.  Yet he passed by on the other side, not even taking time to see the true need of the man. 

I figured, in today's society the Priest would have at least said a prayer as he walked on by.  You know "How you doing brother?"  "Aw that sounds terrible."  "I will pray for you." As the  conversation ends and the Priest quickly turns to his own needs or moves on to more spiritual people that can build him up, not make him serve.  He might think about the prayer request as he goes to his prayer closet that day, but the moment of need has then passed, unmet by the one who could have invoked heavenly influence.

I admit, I have been the casual "I will say a prayer" and then forgot as I allowed other things to get in the way of me and the need that I was presented with.  Depending on the day, this might have been me.  Some days I really just want to stay in my own little world and not deal with the problems of others. I am better about the immediate prayer as I walk on by, but I admit this can be me.


Then there was the Levite, a servant in the temple that was looked to as a religious teacher.  The Levite knew the ins and the outs of the Law, and certainly held people to the religious standards that it imposed.  They were also supported by the tithes of the people.  He also passed by to the other side after taking a look also.

I figure in today's society, this would be the one that would scope out the situation to see what might be gained from involvement - status, recognition, money.  A quick scan would quickly reveal that this was not someone that was in a position to share who had helped him survive, name dropping to those who mattered the special way the Levite had helped.  The man was left for dead, robbed of his worldly possessions, so money was out of the question.  After realizing he had nothing to gain, he would just walk on by in his own little world, not realizing what he did for the least of these would be counted by the only one whose scorecard really matters - God.

No God, I don't think this one would be me.  I do not care what people have to offer me - money, influence, recognition or praise.  I do not look at how something can benefit me before I get involved.  I am not motivated by money, recognition, or influence.  I am not a name dropper, and don't really like the praise of man.

Then there was the Samaritan.  He had compassion.  He met the immediate need dressing the wounds and moving the victim from where he was.  He found the resources that the man would need, and offered to pay for the continued need of the stranger he just met.

I admit, if this happened today, I would align more with the Samaritan, I would have compassion. Not that I see myself as a good Samaritan, just my curiosity would not allow me to go to the other side.   I really like to help people. I would be there at his side trying to find the resources to help him - in his immediate and long term needs.  I probably would not have the money for the care, I think that is why God taught me about research - because the money is there to meet needs if one is willing to do the work.   I would certainly help link him up with places that could meet the need and get him there.  The inconvenience would not bother me, I would be moved by the compassion to help.  I would even follow-up to see how he was doing if HIPAA would allow.

Ask yourself honestly, which character would you play in the story of the Good Samaritan?

I realized as I thought this through, this isn't just a story of something that happened in the Bible.  It is not just a moral of "Love your Neighbor" and "Everyone is your neighbor."  This is life today.  There are so many people with real tangible needs.  It is easy to get caught up with our own problems and not take the time to see the issues in our community like the priest.  Or get so wrapped up in the rat race that we don't make a place to open ourselves up for those who we think have nothing to offer us like the Levite. However, the deeper lesson of the Luke 10:30-37 is found in  I John 3:17  But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

I think God wants us to have nice things, but when and estimated 2,429 people are homeless in your community, and 1 in 6 in your community have food shortage, and several towns in our community don't have safe water to cook or drink with - pretty sure you can have nice things with a lesser price tag and help meet an immediate need.  One day we will stand before God and give account for our actions and inaction.    "God I didn't see it" will be hard to say in a day of social media and cause marketing that we live in now.  "God, I was to busy...playing with the toys I bought with the money you lent me to further your kingdom and meet the needs of the hurting."  Not sure that will fly either.  

It is hard for people to see a loving God when they see people with the resources to help them up, and they just walk on by. Or worse take the time to condemn them without building a relationship to help them learn about the transforming power of the God Christian's represent.  As Christine Caine says "You have to catch the fish before you try to clean it."  

‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Matthew 25:34

Sowing Seeds

Matthew 13:32

New International Version (NIV)

Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

Galatians 6:7

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

I thought about the things that I want to see in the life of those I love and in the life of those I work with daily.  I want good things for them all. A true relationship with Christ, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, prosperity. Then I asked myself what seeds am I truly planting to help these thing come forth in their life and in my own - for I will reap what I sow.  These things came to my attention:

• The smallest seeds I plant, become the largest producers.  My words, often spoken without thinking can be the smallest seed, often times as soon as they are loosed from my lips I forget the exact words said.  
• I will never know right away the type of soil they are falling on.  They may fall on ears that will receive them as the gospel and be planted and sprout into a tree in their life.  So I must make sure to plant good things.
• I realized that I need to sow into those around me the things that I need to reap in my life.  
• I need to be careful of the seeds I toss about because they can take root.  
• I need to share that with the parents I work with, so that they can start sowing life into their children instead of the same things they were raised with.  If they want to reap something different in their children, they must sow what they have not had. 
• They can not sow what they do not have, so I and others around them must sow into their lives so they will have good seed to sow.

Starting Over

This year has been a year where God has led me to work on discipline and self control.  As the year started, I was diligent in seeking God and exercising discipline and self-control.  As I ended my fast and went back to "regular living" I slacked off, and eventually found myself down a path I had never intended to go.

For the next few weeks I struggled, knowing that change needed to come but admittedly ashamed at how I had ended up at that place.  Instead of moving forward, I just stood still not pressing forward and not going back.  I was frozen, as I often do when I realize I can't, haven't, or didn't give 100%.

I set my heart to start over today.  It is a new year in my life, and I still desire to achieve those goals.  As I was reading the word today I was reminded of Peter.  This is a man who walked by Jesus in a rather close proximity.  He pledged to follow Jesus wherever he went.  Then in Jesus's weakest hour, Peter denied he even knew Him.  Yet, Peter became a great preacher with a boldness that he didn't have before, after the resurrection of Christ.

I realized in reading that, we all fall.  Granted each of us falls in different areas, and to different degrees, but the fact is we all fail.  We backslide, we compromise, we fail to move forward.  It is easy to get caught in the shame of that, but it is just part of life.

That challenge  the strength comes from getting back up and pressing to go farther than we were before the fall.  Maybe it is just me, but I often feel like I am the only one who did that.  Satan has no problem feeding that thought to keep me from moving forward.  Satan wants us to stay condemned, because he saw what happened when Peter and Paul rose from the ashes.

Ordinary men, empowered by the Holy Spirit changed this world.  Imagine what you could do if you stopped allowing Satan to condemn you with your past, and started over walking in the fullness of Forgiveness and the Power of the Holy Spirit.  Here is too a new day!

Sliding

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.  Hebrews 3:12-13

Sometimes is life we go along, and find life is at a cross road that we never planned to be. Sometimes, we see it coming, other times it is through little compromises that lead us slowly off the narrow path until we are in the middle of nowhere wondering how we go there.

I think that is where I have been lately.  It is not that I stopped believing, or even stopped doing the things that I need to do.  But somewhere along the way I stopped wanting to do them.  Somewhere along the way, I stopped pressing in and just settled.  Then Wednesday, I found myself hit in the face with it.

I was walking in to church, and I physically slipped, landing on my knees.  I got up, knowing there would be a nice bruise, but oddly not with that embarrassed feeling one gets when falling in public.  I made my way to my chair, and clear as day, God spoke to me that I was slipping spiritually.

Although I was shocked by this revelation, I knew He was right.  My contentment was gone.  I thought that it was because I had been busy.  My schedule had been off, but really I had realigned my priorities.  I had been hit with some pretty difficult circumstances, but really I had taken my eyes off Him as my Helper.  I had slipped back into old patterns after a close encounter with God, because it was easier than pressing in to go deeper.  My connection with other believers had grown distant in my business, so my accountability was gone.  It is easy to do when you are a servant because people get so used to sharing their pain, they look over your struggle.

Climbing back from a slide is humbling.  It is also harder than the slide.  It is very easy to slide, usually you don't realize you have done it until you are far enough away that you hit a bump or the end of the slide.  Climbing back up takes effort because you have to go against the grain.

Here is to climbing back up, may it not be as hard as I think it will be, and may I exceed where I was in my relationship with Him.

precious gifts

I am sitting at the hospital, waiting for the precious gift God lent me, to give birth to her own precious gift.  It has been a long journey, but God is giving her the desire of her heart.  Laurin had longed to bee a mommy for such a long time.  She sufficed with babysitting.  Then in 2011 she was blessed with an angel baby, Holden whom she will not meet this side of heaven.  Then in July, God blessed her with a child from another mother, Jordon, age 5.  Today, in just a few short hours she will be able to hold her daughter Kambree, given her precious gift and desire of her heart.

It is amazing the range of emotions I have seen her go through.  Today is Saturday, and she has been in the hospital since Thursday at 5 pm.  She has laughed, cried, experienced frustration, joy, love, appreciation, gratitude, fear, and pain.  Those along side her, walking through some of those same emotions.

I admit, I am scared for my baby girl.  To know the pain of childbirth, even if it is buffered by an epidural.  To experience love and joy that comes from setting a dream fulfilled.    I am sad to see her growing up, this is that final thing, my baby girl will have her own baby girl.  And then to know this precious gift that once again God has given me to share.  My heart is welling with feelings.

It is now after 11 pm.  My emotions are just starting to settle.  Watching my granddaughter come into this world was one of the greatest gifts that I have ever received.  It feels so surreal to think I am a grandma.  To hold little Kambree, to touch her big cheeks, kiss her little forehead and stare into her eyes.  She is just so precious.

Kambree Adalynn Wellesley was born at 2:20 am on February 16, 2013.    She weighed 8 pound .09 ounces.  She is 20.5 inches long.  She is amazing!

Visions in Worship

 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself. - John 12:32 NKJV

 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. - Matthew 5:14 NKJV

 Last night we were singing "Be Lifted Higher" during praise and worship, these two verses came to my mind.

As the Church it is our responsibility, our honor, our joy, to lift God higher.  As we lift Him higher, He will draw people unto Him.  Jesus, while here on the earth didn't seek people out, they sought Him.  He came on the scene and people drew to Him.  He didn't walk in his power, but allowed the Holy Spirit to work in and through Him, lifting God higher.  We are the Light here on earth that should draw all men to Him.

I saw a vision, standing there in praise and worship of the Church (not a church),  rising up as beacons of light to Northwest Arkansas.  The scattered light of individuals joined together in unity.  As the Light went up from the Church, people were attracted to the Light and lives we transformed.  As lives were transformed, this region was transformed.  And as this region was transformed, people who came here, never stepping foot in a church brought God back to their region, their state, their nation, and the world was transformed.

This land became Holy ground, where sin could not stay.  Sin had no hold.  Addictions were broken at the mention of His name.  Mental illness became  sound mind.  Hands that once caused hurt and abuse brought healing and wholeness. 

I was brought back to the cross, and Christ said "It is finished."  He finished the hold that sin has on us at the cross.  It is already done.  We must walk in the power that He died for us to have.  We must be the lights that lift Him up.  Then He will draw all people to Him.  He wants to transform this region and world.

Enjoying the small things

I admit I am a bit amazed at the simplicity of child entertainment.  For the past 45 minutes I have been watching three kids, two of which have been entertaining us all with their antics.  The laughter is contagious and they have only had a blanket.

They were standing at the window.  Initially I suggested to work on counting.  This worked for "1 car, 2, car, 3 cars."  They then started jumping up and down screaming 'car, car, car" like it was the greatest thing since sliced cheese they had ever seen.  This went on for 20 minutes.

 I am not sure when in life we decide that those simple things can not bring us pleasure.  But I think there is something to be said about taking pleasure in small things.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)  ^In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.