"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" (Luke 10:36-37).
THEME
MERCY
As Wordsworth put it, "The best portion of a good man's life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love."
To a wily, Jewish lawyer Jesus unfolded a three-act play about a good man. In a surprise ending, the story revealed an unexpected white knight--not a priest or Levite but a hated Samaritan. Knowing that Jesus had trapped him, the legal expert admitted that the expected villain had become a hero because he showed mercy, not because he followed the letter of the law.
The priest and the Levite who passed by the injured man were not really the muscle men of God's Word; they were spiritual weaklings. They had somehow missed all the Old Testament verses about God's great mercy; they had skipped Micah's claim that good people love mercy (6:8).
Like the two religious men of Jesus' parable, we sometimes forget that pure religion is looking after those who can never repay us, such as orphans and widows (James 1:27). Our obtuseness comes from not appreciating the great mercy God showed in loving us.
Paul argued that those who understand God's mercy overcome the evil of this world with good (Romans 12:1-21). Our nameless acts of compassion do not go unremembered by Him.
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OCT 07
Luke 10:25-37
"Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother" (Zechariah 7:9).
The Good Samaritan in Jesus' parable set a worthy example. He stopped to help a Jewish man, even though he knew that Jews despised Samaritans and that most of his fellow Samaritans hated Jews. He acted sacrificially--his deed cost him time and money. And he took a risk by stopping on that Jericho road--he too could have been attacked by a band of robbers.
A friend recently came upon a dangerous situation along the freeway. He saw a truck swerve to miss a reckless driver and then crash into a guardrail. As he approached the scene, he noticed gas leaking from the truck's fuel tank. Fearing an explosion, he screeched to a stop, jumped out of his vehicle, and pulled the dazed driver out of his cab. He was a modern-day Good Samaritan. He too took a risk to help a "neighbor."
If we take seriously Jesus' teaching in Luke 10:25-37, we will sacrifice our time and money to help all kinds of people. We may not have the opportunity to do something dramatic, as my friend did, but we can offer kindness to a discouraged divorcee, a person dying with AIDS, or a misunderstood teenager. Showing mercy to others is a way to express our gratitude to God for His salvation. When we reach out to others, we show our desire to obey Jesus' command to love God above all and our neighbors as ourselves. Getting involved, even when it means taking a risk, is a good risk.
--H.V.L.
How much we are willing to sacrifice is the measure of our love.
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OCT 08
MATTHEW 6:1-6
"Your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly"
(Matthew 6:4).
Have you ever gone out of your way to do something for someone and had it go unnoticed? Almost killed you, didn't it? Perhaps I'd better not speak for you, but I've had the problem. At times I've wondered if doing good to others is worth the effort, especially when I don't receive a thank you in return. And yet, serving without looking for reward is what walking with God is all about. As Christians, we should not display a "cash and carry" attitude that expects immediate appreciation for the good we do. God wants us to remember that someday He Himself will richly reward us.
A newspaper article reminded me of the kind of "delayed returns" we should be living for. A car dealer went out of his way to give a foreign student an honest deal on a new automobile. Fifteen years later, the young man became the sole purchasing agent for the Iranian Contractors Association. He showed his gratitude to the car dealer by placing a multi-million-dollar order with that dealer for 750 heavy dump trucks and 350 pickups. "It's unbelievable!" exclaimed the businessman. The good he had done was rewarded years later beyond his wildest imagination.
Just as that salesman's reward came later, so too God will commend us in Heaven. If we do good to others for the immediate thanks we receive, we already have our reward. But if we do it for God, the future return will be as sure and generous as He is.
--M.R.D.II
There is no reward from God to those who seek it from men. --Spurgeon
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OCT 09
PROVERBS 11:17-25
The merciful man does good for his own soul (Proverbs 11:17).
R. Lee Sharpe once went with his father to a blacksmith shop to get a rake fixed. When the job was finished, his father asked what the charge would be. The smithy replied, "Oh, there is no charge. I'm happy to do it for you!" But Sharpe's father did not feel right about accepting charity, so he persisted in trying to give at least a token payment. Over and over the blacksmith refused to accept any money until his patience was about to run out. Finally he exclaimed to his friend, "Ed, can't you let a man do something now and then just to stretch his soul?" Commenting on that boyhood experience, Sharpe later wrote, "I'll never forget that great man's reply. That short but big sermon from the lips of a humble, lovable blacksmith has caused me to find, again and again, the great joy and quiet happiness that comes from a little stretching of the soul."
Proverbs 11 speaks about enlarging one's soul as it relates to mercy. W. F. Adeney, writing in THE PULPIT COMMENTARY, said, "The merciful man is blessed in the very exercise of mercy. . . . By a singular law of nature the exercise of mercy begins in the pain of self-sacrifice, but it soon bears fruit in inward peace and gladness. . . . [Showing mercy] is elevating and ennobling."
Although Proverbs 11:17 refers to the "merciful man," all who are loving and generous experience the benefits he enjoys. Doing good carries its own blessed reward. It's a wonderful way of stretching our souls.
--R.W.D.
Those who are good to others are good to themselves.
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OCT 10
1 THESSALONIANS 1
You became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe
(1 Thessalonians 1:7).
The best "preaching" is often expressed in actions rather than in words. When we do right without saying anything, we can have far greater impact for good than when we tell others what they should do without doing it ourselves. Indeed, we might do better to skip the "preaching" altogether if there is no "practicing."
Many parents overlook this as they instruct their children. They talk about God, explain salvation through Jesus, and expect good works--but it all ends there because their own example fails to match the expectations they have for their children. In other Christian homes, however, mothers and fathers make sure their walk supports their talk. Their exemplary living provides clear and consistent guidelines. Wise parents do not neglect verbal instruction, but they balance it with a worthy example.
We usually think of preachers as those who speak from the pulpit, but the truth is that we all are "preaching" every day. Our conduct at home, the way we handle business matters, our response to difficulties, our reaction to temptation--everything people observe about us is "preaching." Someone said, "What you do speaks so loudly that I can't hear what you say."
The actions of the Good Samaritan spoke so loudly that people still hear them today. Without demanding or expecting anything for himself, He showed mercy to an injured man. As he did, we must make sure that all of our actions are in harmony with God's revealed will. Whether we realize it or not, our walking does our talking.
--R.W.D.
Every Christian should be a walking sermon.
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OCT 11
HEBREWS 10:19-25
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works (Hebrews 10:24).
As we rounded a curve, the beams from my headlights suddenly shone on a woman desperately waving her arms. I did not want to stop. It was late and very cold. My wife and I were exhausted from ministering all day in a small church where I was student pastor, our small son was asleep on the back seat, and I had to be in class at 8:30 the next morning. "Somebody else will come along," I said to my wife, rationalizing to myself that the woman might be trying to lure us into a trap. But my conscience made me stop. And it's a good thing we did. In the woman's car we found four unconscious children, overcome by fumes from a faulty muffler. Quickly we loaded them into our car and headed for a nearby hospital, where they soon recovered after prompt treatment.
I don't advocate stopping along the highway for just anyone. Yet so many pressing needs go unmet. For instance, an elderly couple, no longer able to drive, haven't been to church for several months because no one has offered to take them. And a widow with multiple sclerosis wishes that somebody would take her grocery shopping and help her get to church on Sunday. "Why isn't somebody meeting these needs?" I wondered. Then I remembered my own initial response that night along the highway: Somebody else will come along.
Hebrews 10:24 holds the solution to this problem. As Christians, we can stir up fellow believers to love and good deeds by setting a good example. We can be that "somebody else."
--H.V.L.
When it comes to doing things for others, some people stop at nothing.
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OCT 12
LUKE 14:7-14
"Invite the poor . . . and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you" (Luke 14:13-14).
An essential element in Christian love is unselfishness. When we give no thought to personal reward, when we do good things for people simply because we want to help them and honor our Lord--that's when we demonstrate Christlike love.
Christian philanthropist Fred Smith tells how his daughter and her husband befriended an ex-convict and the woman with whom he was living. Rick gave the man a job. Brenda spent time with the woman, bought things for her, and witnessed to her about Christ. Together they convinced the couple that getting married was the right thing to do. They even asked a minister to perform the ceremony and offered to open their home for the occasion. But a few days later, Rick found a note from the man saying that they were leaving town to get away from a hired assassin. Later, Mr. Smith asked his daughter how she felt about spending so much time, energy, and money on these people, only to have the relationship end so suddenly. Tears welled up in her eyes. "No matter where they are or how long they live," she said, "they'll always know that somebody cared." Brenda and Rick had loved unselfishly, and for them that was reward enough.
We can easily fall into the trap of giving just to receive something in return, but that kind of caring does not honor God. Yet showing Christian love has an encouraging paradox. When we do good deeds with a selfless motive, we lay up heavenly rewards.
--H.V.L.
A selfish heart loves for what it can get; a Christian heart loves for what it can give.
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OCT 13
EXODUS 18:13-27
"Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out" (Exodus 18:18).
Over the years, social service jobs have drawn concerned young people into careers of helping others. In time, many of them become what some psychologists call "burned-out Samaritans." After listening to so many people's problems and trying to help, they get to the place where they can't take any more. This happens to doctors, ministers, social workers, psychiatrists, and policemen. To save themselves emotionally, they must either quit, stop caring, or readjust.
As Christians, we too are subject to burn-out because helping others is part of our calling. We may feel overwhelmed by the complexity, intensity, and sheer volume of human need. We discover that we can't keep burying ourselves in all the pain without paying the price. We too have to quit, stop caring, or readjust. If we stop trying to help others, we break our fellowship with Christ. If we become unfeeling, we fall far short of His example. But we can readjust by making changes that will ease our burden. Like Moses who heeded the good counsel of his father-in-law Jethro and began delegating responsibility, we must recognize our human limitations and learn to act wisely.
Some believers assume that the more godly we are, the more we will keep pushing until we just "wear out for the Lord." And some devout Christians do just that. But according to the Bible, it's wiser to adjust our service. Then we won't become burned-out Samaritans.
--M.R.D.II
A willing heart must always be kept under the control of a wise head.
