In my reading of Luke 10:25-37 today, I'm thoughtful about the wording used in the text as the three men encounter the wounded man on the side of the road.
priest-going down the same road- saw man
Levite-came to the place-saw him
Samaritan-came where the man was-saw him
It seems like each successive man saw the wounded man from a closer vantage point. A few years' back, I could sense God whispering two words into my life a whole lot. The words were "get closer". I took those words to mean that God wanted me to get closer to Him, but also that God wanted me to get up close and personal with people outside of my default circle.
"Get closer." This two-word directive is key. It is the remedy for our natural tendency to intellectualize, rationalize, keep everything theoretical, lip service, at arms length. When my focus is on God and getting closer to Him, I experience intimacy in my relationship with Him. When I focus on getting closer with people across divides (racial, class, culture), I can deal with my fear, prejudices, privilege, elitism that keeps me so far from people, and I can become reconciled with them. When I get close, real compassion and community has a chance to grow and reflect Christ to a world who desperately longs for this kind of witness.
What's standing out to you as you continue to read the parable of the Good Samaritan?
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