A Parable

Have you noticed that all of those on the right who want everyone to know how "Christian" they are, rarely, if ever, quote Christ? They love to spout scripture, more often than not the fire and brimstore stuff. But where's the love that Christ taught? One of my favorite stories from the Bible is the parable of The Good Samaritan. You know the story -

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" He answered, "You shall 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 your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live." But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’

Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

To make this parable more meaningful, here's a modern retelling of it I found online:

You are a contributor to and participant in the Conservatives Family Values movement. You have come to a certain American city to attend a big Convervatives Family Values event. On Sunday morning you happen to attend a nearby church before heading home. You are challenged by the guest preacher at the pulpit to answer the question, "Who is your neighbor?" This question came after the preacher had just quoted from Old Testament (Lev 19:18) passage, "Love your neighbor as yourself."

The guest preacher then tells you a story of another Convervatives for Family Values event attendee. He got lost while in that city. While walking through a run-down part of the city, he became ill, fell to the side-walk, and passed-out next to a homeless woman who was on top of a sidewalk grate, from which warm air was coming up to keep her -- and now both of them -- warm on that cold winter day. Soon another homeless man came by, took the man's watch and wallet, and swapped his own beat-up coat, hat, and shoes, for the man's very nice ones.

An hour later a small group of Conservative Family Values event people -- a preacher, a deacon, and some children -- also happen to be passing by there. They saw the unconscious man -- whom they thought was a homeless man sleeping next to his woman partner. As the woman began to stir, the preacher of the group spoke to the deacon and to the children saying what a sinful sight this was and how it illustrated the need for their Conservative Family Values movement. And they continued walking.

A few minutes later a well-dressed gay couple came by, arm-in-arm. They recognized the homeless woman, to whom they offered a bottle of water and a granola bar that one of the men had in a bag. When they tried to stir the man, they realized that he was ill and needed professional attention. He was barely conscious at first. The couple immediately dialed 911 to send for Emergency Medical Services. They took off their coats to cushion his head and to keep him warm until the EMS professionals arrived. The man thanked the gay couple as they told him to let them know if they could be of any further help.

The guest preacher at the pulpit then asks you, "Which of the three acted like a neighbor? The preacher, the deacon, or the gay couple?"

See, the gay couple are the Christians, in the only way that would have mattered to Jesus. They're a model of what it means to lead a Christlike life. Simply put, they love their neighbor - and recognize that a neighbor isn't just someone who lives next door, or looks like them, or shares their beliefs and prejudices. A neighbor is simply another human being - any human being. Jesus' message - that a member of a group you despise may be a better neighbor to you and a better model for neighborliness for you than those whom you respect - is one that many outcasts today can hear with gratification.

The story also offers those who are outcasts something more than mere affirmation. It presents them (as I Black man, I should say us - blacks, gays, immigrants, the poor, etc.), it presents us with a powerful challenge - a challenge to live in a world where many people despise us as fervently as 1st century Christians despised Samaritans, and to love them anyway. It's a challenge not to just say that you love those who hate you; it's a lesson that tells us that to love is to act with love. It is to do.