I pray you are healthy and happy today.
I had someone in my office today who needed help, or so they thought. This individual is typical of many people who ask me for assistance with paperwork and casework, sponsoring family members to come to the U.S.
This person's case has not yet "come current," where the case will be acted upon. But he wanted me to write a letter to give them a "heads up" that the case has almost come current. I tried to explain that they won't act on the case until the case comes current, but he wouldn't listen.
O.K., confession time. I went WAY out of my way to explain the process and that such a letter is not necessary until the case comes current.
He wouldn't listen.
My mind drifted to the topic of the day.
Topic of the day: Donkeys.
Of course, there are a number of donkeys recorded in Scripture. Of all the donkeys recorded, the one I think of quite often is the one in Luke 10. It is a speedbump reference in the parable of the Good Samaritan.
You remember the story about the guy who basically got mugged on the street, and the respected religious and supposedly spiritual people walked right by without helping a guy who really needed help.
Then a man of a different and disrespected culture was passing through, saw the hard-up guy, and had this reaction:
"He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins 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."
The man who helped is quite amazing!
He stopped--he took his vauable time.
He put himself at risk (where were those muggers, anyway?).
He got his hands dirty.
He generously gave of what he had.
He accomplished task completion, not giving quick help only, but set the hard-up guy on a long-term path of healing.
He was selfless.
The reason I think of the donkey in this story is to avoid me acting like one. Who was the donkey in Jesus' story, really? The two self-centered pious wannabes are the ones acting like donkeys.
Back to the guy in my office this morning, why did I need to lecture him? Was helping him so difficult a task? No. The man simply wanted peace of mind. Why did I need to stand in the way of that--why did I feel the need to try and walk by on the other side of that road--why was I being a donkey?
It is all too easy to become one, though! It is all too easy to pass by on the other side when someone needs our help. We are too easily too busy, too self-important, too proud. Who of us hasn't walked by someone who we knew in our heart we could help? We can't do everything. We can't fix everything. We can't help everyone in every case and fulfill everything they ask.
But just because we can't do everything, doesn't mean we can't do something.
Let us confess our "walk by on the other side" shortcomings to our Savior. Embrace the fact that Christ's ride into Jerusalem on the back of a different donkey ushered in the conclusion of his sacrificial work to save you from the very sin in which you were born. You are forgiven! You are pure in God's sight! You are set free into a life of thanksgiving to God.
When the Lord identified the man who stopped to help as an example of what it means to be a neighbor, he concluded by saying "Go and do likewise."
What a great opportunity each day that God prepares people for us to meet and speak with: people to whom we can be a neighbor. In an overflow of thanksgiving, we can be a neighbor to each person we meet or with whom we speak today. Here are some practical points from above you may want to review and implement:
Stop--give of your vauable time.
Get your hands dirty.
Give generously of what you have.
Give not only quick help only, but help set others on a long-term path of what is better.
Be selfless.
Prayer idea: Ask God to teach you more of what it means to be a neighbor to others. Ask for God's strength to show selfless love to others. Ask for more opportunities to be a neighbor to others.
Blessings on your week!
--Pastor Dan