Yes, Who Is My Neighbor?!

I am on the email list for a weekly (?) devotion with Christian music artist Matthew West which is sent through his ministry popwe.org. 

Now, I have heard the passages about what Jesus said about who our neighbor is many time before.  But somehow today it smacked me upside the head when, in sharing the story of the Good Samaritan, Matthew (West) says, “In this parable, a man has been beaten and robbed and was lying on the side of the road, left for dead.  Three different men come by, two of which would have been expected to help, but only the third man, the one most unlikely, responded and saved his life.” (I added the bold type for emphasis.)

Suddenly a realization hit me with the proverbial “holy two by four”.  Every other time that I have heard this I have secretly prided myself that I would have helped.

And I have, in my mind, thought many times of our time in the Conservative Mennonite church with a disgust for the attitude I saw in some to pour most all of their energy and resources only into helping those in the Mennonite church (or those wanting to come into the Mennonite church) with seemingly little regard for the “substandard Christians” outside the Mennonite church.  (I am NOT proud of this attitude in me.)

But it hit me today . . . and hard!  How many more times have I been the other two rather then the Good Samaritan that I suppose myself to be?  When faced with needs outside my “Christian circles”, how often am I the “more likely one to help” that doesn’t?!  Ouch!!

Maybe, yet again, God is using what annoys me in others to point out my own faults.  Funny how most of what we are bothered by in others is something that we refuse to see (or maybe can’t see for the plank in our eye).  (Insert groan and sigh here)

Lord, I am humbled yet again.  Please continue to purify me and teach me to be more like you.  Help me to have the ability to see my own faults, and have more grace towards others, as we both work on ourselves and our own shortcomings.  But help me to do this in a healthy way, as I remember your grace and mercy for me.  Protect me from falling into despair over all of my perceived shortcomings.  But please Lord help me to learn and grow closer to you in my awareness of them.  I pray this in Jesus’ name.  Amen.