Am I That Good Samaritan?
I’m reading in Luke 10 right now and it’s very convicting. The part about the traveler who was beaten by robbers. And how others walked right by him while the Samaritan stopped to help, brought him to a shelter, nursed his wounds, plus paid for his recovery! I must ask – how often do I actually have that attitude? A mind-set that stops what I’m doing and actually see another’s pain? And then sacrifices my time and energy to “do” something to help?
Luke tells us that the Samaritan “felt compassion” for the injured man. It’s pretty easy to feel compassion for the truly poor and beaten of the world. The ones who have had a house burn or taken by a tornado. Or who’ve lost a loved one. But, amidst all those raw emotions, we must ask ourselves, “Do I take the next step to help, or do I walk on by?”.
Is My Family Lying Naked and Beaten?
But the tough question that’s rolling through my mind today is, “Am I feeling that kind of compassion in my own family – for each person’s need or pain?”. How easy it is (and important) to send a check to the orphans or bring a meal to a person in need – but – are we meeting the needs in our own home? Are we offering a place of acceptance, rest, and provisions for recovery to a child or husband in pain?
The trouble with seeing the real pain in our own family is that we are probably a part of that pain. It’s oftentimes our pain, and our reaction to their pain, that causes other members of our family to be in pain, or to be unable to heal!
Oh what a tangled web….and… guilty as charged.
Am I Martha or Mary?
So, I know I’m to be that good Samaritan, but how easy it is to ignore those right in my own house. My husband. My children. How often am I so busy being Martha, that I ignore those right in front of me? As moms, our days are so filled with preparing meals or washing clothes or (gulp) reading blogs to learn how to do all of this well, that we don’t even see who each of our family members is or what they struggle with?
I find it interesting that the Mary/Martha story is right after the Good Samaritan story in Luke! Could it be that Jesus knew we’d start helping the needy and forget to do the ‘necessary’ thing? Let’s not forget. Jesus said “few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Martha was busy doing while Mary was sitting at Jesus feet, listening. I am encouraged to take that stance today. Sitting at my Saviour’s feet, listening to His teaching, and really taking time to hear just what He is telling me to do. It’s so easy to just begin the ‘doing’ part and forget the listening part. And that part is so important, as it tells us what the necessary ‘doing’ is!
So, as wives and mothers, let’s begin to listen. And I believe that as we really listen, we’ll begin to see the needs around us. And those needs start right within our four walls! Begin to heed Jesus’ words to “love your brother as yourself”. Who is your closest brother?! And begin pouring water on those wounds…
“Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” And Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.” Luke 10:36-37
Tehila says
Thank you for your deep and true words. It is sometimes the greatest challenge to sit and listen to the Lord, rather than “doing” acts of service to Him, even for our own families.
Your words today were for ME! I pray that I would be super sensitive to the needs of each of my family members. Their needs often seem to change, even from day to day, so I can’t become complacent even for a moment.
I know the only way that my heart can be there for them is while I’m abiding in and dwelling on God’s Word, and where else can that be done than, as you so wisely stated, while I’m taking a stance of listening at His feet.
God bless you, as you too abide in Him!
livingabovethenoise says
Ah, how easy it is to act first and listen later. My family gets lost in the shuffle, even while I am taking care of them. How crazy is that?! I pray that, as women learning together, we will remember the “important” thing. Thanks for your encouraging words.