Luke 10:25-37:
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tempted him saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Jesus: What is written in the law? How readest thou?
Lawyer: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.
Jesus: Thou hast answered right: this do and thou shalt live.
Now… wanting to justify himself the Lawyer said to Jesus: “AND WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?
Jesus: A Certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw the victim, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked at the victim and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan as he journeyed, came where the victim was and the Samaritan saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set the victim on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day before the Samaritan left he took out two pence, and gave them to the host of the inn and said to him, “Take care of him; and whatsoever you spend more than what I’ve given you, I will repay you when I come again. Which now of these three Jesus asked the Lawyer, do you think was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?
Lawyer: He that showed mercy on the victim.
Jesus: GO AND DO LIKEWISE
Hmm……Greetings dear followers. Who do you say is our neighbor?
I had a very interesting experience today. I met a young man named Chance. His name sure fit the occasion.
I’d taken my granddaughter to see her counselor today and as we waited in the waiting room there too sat Chance with his grandfather waiting to see his counselor as well. Chance was giving his grandfather a fit. Chance was rude and disrespectful and was going at his grandfather like the grandfather was the child. Of course Chance’s actions didn’t sit well with me and I started talking to my granddaughter about Chances’ behavior. Of course grand baby was telling me that I should just mind my business. A worker at the center came to sit with Chance and his grandfather I guess to kinda smooth things out by talking with them. So much for effort! Both counselors came for the two children at the same time which gave me a chance to converse with the grandfather and the worker. I learned that Chance was upset that he had to come to counseling . He felt that because he was now a teenager and a freshman in high school, he didn’t need the services that the behavioral center offered. Chance came from a broken unit and the brokenness impacted him in some very destructive ways. After about 20 minutes of being with his counselor Chance came out from the back and the Counselor asked to speak with both the grandfather and the worker, leaving Chance alone in the waiting area with guess who?
The Spirit of God rested heavily on me and I found myself getting up and walking over to where Chance sat pouting. I asked him if I could talk with him and he agreed. I found out through conversation that Chance attended the same high school as does my grand daughter. What upset Chance the most is that with now being in high school he didn’t want any of his peers to know that he attends the adolescent center for behaviors. He didn’t want any of his peers to see him there. We, the Holy Spirit and I told him that the only way his peers would know he attended the center is 1. they were patients themselves or 2. He told them himself. We told him that he is no different than the peers at his school and that many of them should probably be attending the center themselves. We pointed out to Chance that much of what he does brings attentions to him indicating that something is wrong. This sparked his attention. “What do you mean he asked?” Well…fighting and angry outburst, not doing homework and being all up in your feelings says to your peers that something is wrong, we answered. “I did that a whole lot in middle school” he replied. We continued with: Coming to this center Chance doesn’t mean you’re crazy.. it simply says you need help controlling and dealing with issues that have brought you to where you are. Don’t you know that there are so many peers who are facing some of the things you have and are experiencing that needs the same help that you do but can’t get it or are too prideful to ask for help. With you coming here expressing and receiving tools and insights not only helps you but equips you to help some of those who need an outlet, a person who understands.
I saw the light bulb come on in his mind. Finding out that my granddaughter attended the same school helped him as well. ” What’s your granddaughter’s name he asked.” I’m sure he’ll seek her out. I found out that he loves baseball and is going to play on the high school team. But most of all I saw that Chance was given a chance to recover from his fall among thieves.
His grandfather came from out the back and snapped are you ready? Chance rose with a calmness on his face, walked to the door, turned, smiled and waved. 13 year old Chance was the highlight of my day. The Holy Spirit touched this young man in a way that no one else had. He didn’t touch him with book knowledge, with the written words of black and white but with love and with that which is written in red.
We often quote John 10:10…The thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy but I am come that they might have life and have it more abundantly.
Chance fell among thieves who beat him, and robbed him of joy and the necessities of life and for life like love, and a strong family unit and the thieves left him for dead. Like the man who fell among thieves, his own people and those expected to help passed on the other side. God always has a good Samaritan who will meet the need of the weak, the broken and the wounded.
The question of who is my neighbor carries the answer of “He who is in need.”
Jesus: GO, AND DO THOU LIKEWISE. Selah (meditate on this)
Flip the Scripts Admin