Which One Are You?


Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.

A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."

Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

Luke 10:30-37.

Though the details of this story are rooted in first-century life in the Middle East, the principle transcends time periods. We Christians need to ask ourselves, "Who are the 'young travelers' of today? Who are the 'priests'? Who are the 'Levites'? And most important, who are the Samaritans'?"

Everyone travels this long dusty road called life, none of us knowing when evil or misfortune will jump out from behind a rock to batter us into a ditch. Depending on the circumstances, the ditch may be a physical problem, a financial crisis, an emotional breakdown, a spiritual funk, or whatever epic battle life may orchestrate.

After having talked with hundreds of teenagers from all over the world, I can attest to you today that the ditch is a real place where people lie, longing for someone to notice and help them. In the teenage years the ditch may take the form of depression, an identity crisis, or a traumatic relationship with a mother or a father. In the adult years it may take the form of homelessness, prostitution, addiction, or homosexuality. Whatever the case, such issues can keep unsuspecting travelers down for a long time.

Obviously, a lot of people are lying in ditches, waiting for someone to help. The question is, which passerby will you be when you see someone in a ditch?

**