February 2010

Recently, I heard a Biblical exposition of Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:30-37. It is a familiar story to us but a new thought (for me) was pointed out. Jesus was teaching this to a Jewish lawyer. The Jews had a deep prejudice toward the people of Samaria whom they regarded as "interracial half-breeds" among other things. After the priest and the levite (Jews) passed up the stricken traveler, it was the Samaritan who really took care of him and even went the second mile to help. Then Jesus asked the Jewish lawyer this question: "Which of these do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers hands?"

His reply was, "The one who showed mercy toward him." The lawyer would not even say "the Samaritan". The Jewish prejudice ran very deep. These northern neighbors of Judea were often refered to as "dogs". It was repulsive to even mention the name "Samaria or Samaritan"!!!

Over the years I have been tempted (probably like all Christians have) to get my priorities mixed up. We can get so "caught up in doing the "right" or "good" things that we miss the very heart of Our Lord's teachings. So I continually review the Gospels and intentionally consider following the example of Jesus. Since we do love Him, we must really concentrate on His words, His commandments, His example. Of course we are empowered to do so because He and the Father sent the Holy Spirit to work through us. He gets all the glory because it is His very life in us through the Holy Spirit. I mean, all of our good works and human love is nothing but filthy rags compared to God's love. We just have to yield to Him and His Word!!

The devastating earthquake in Haiti is revealing who the good neighbors are (the Good Samaritans). You have seen examples on the TV coverage. Followers of the Lord Jesus Christ have been involved in the relief and rescue right from the beginning. A disaster like this can bring out the best and worst in the human heart, but true followers of the Word will continue to shine as bright lights in a dark atmosphere. Haitian Christians have been seen on TV screens marching orderly down the rubble strewn streets singing and praising God. At the same time, an estimated 200,000 have died including missionaries, orphans, a Catholic archbishop, and United Nations workers. The earth's shaking indiscriminately took lives and maimed bodies of all classes and ages irrespective of religious belief. There were also miraculous deliverances!!

My brother is a medical doctor in Queensland, Australia with his own clinic. He was deeply moved by what he saw. He was impelled to do "something". He collected about $3000 worth of antibiotics and other medicines and supplies and shipped them to me. I made a phone call to our missions director who had been in Haiti the week before with a team. He answered his phone in Uganda, Africa and was very happy to get the supplies which we forwarded on to Carrollton, Texas. Over the next year several teams will be going to Haiti to assist in the recovery. I hope I can join one of them.

There are neighbors in need all around us, past and present. Our neighbors and landlords in Sri Lanka were high cast Buddhists. We have never forgotten them. We shared the love of the Lord with them in days past and on my last trip I visited them again. People float by those they have known in the past "like ships passing in the night", as one preachered defined some. But should that be our attitude when we are true followers of the Lord Jesus? No, His love in us knows no boundaries. Let us love truely and deeply.

"Terry with Sri Lankan neighbors".

Pastor Nimal has a nice church in a good size town. He pioneered it from nothing. Now he has 200 believers at least. However, he has a heart to reach out beyond his comfort zone. To neglected rubber estate workers in the interior forest away from the city. He sees them as neighbors. I am privileged to work with such people of expanded hearts.

"These rubber estate workers and children have all come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and now have a personal walk with Him and our Father."