church to go to a technical school to powerful. Jesus told a story about a man Helping people is risky. In the third
improve the lot of his or her family? We who had been robbed and beaten and lay century, there was a plague in Alexandria.
will sacrifice to remodel the church or by the side of the road. The Extravagant The plague was so bad that tens of thou-
build an addition. Should we sacrifice to Samaritan did not stay on his donkey and sands were dying. The pagans believed it
retrain some workers in our church fami- tell the man he would pray that God was a punishment from God. They
ly? Are you doing or talking about doing would send someone to help him. He got wouldn’t help those who were afflicted.
any of those things?” down in the dirt and the blood and got They wouldn’t even bury them. They
“We don’t do any of those things,” he messily involved. He would have been would provide them with no help
responded. “We do hand out groceries considered a Good Samaritan even if he because in their eyes these people
once a month and help people with utili- had only helped the man out of the ditch, deserved to die. The Alexandrian Chris-
ty bills when they get behind. I think it but he went so much further than that. He tians behaved differently. Out of love for
would be impossible for us to do all of dressed his wounds, put him on his don- God, they nursed the weak and buried
those things. What should we do?” key, and took him into town. He would the dead. Often contracting the fatal ill-
“I am thankful for what you are have also been considered a Good Samari- ness themselves, they earned the name
doing,” I said. “And you’re right, your tan if he had stopped there, but he took paraboloni, meaning “ones who take a
church can’t do all of those things. Let’s the man to an inn and paid for him to risk,” from the Alexandrian community.
talk now about how a church decides stay there. If he had stopped there in his We should as a church make it our aim
what it should do during these uncertain assistance to the man in the ditch, he to earn that title of honor: “ones who
times. Those of us who are blessed with would have been thought of as a Very take a risk.”
jobs and are doing well need to increase Good Samaritan. But he didn’t stop there.
our efforts to help those in need, and this He told the innkeeper to take care of the
Taking a Risk
can be an evangelistic tool as well.” man until the man was able to leave, and Are you willing to take a risk when
That is where the conversation had to he would pay the bill upon his return. He eternal souls are at stake? There are people
end because he was arriving at his secular was so much more than a Good Samaritan; who need help now. If we show them love
job. In the next conversation I had with he was an Extravagant Samaritan. and compassion for their material and
him, I gave suggestions for steps the physical needs, they will be more likely to
church can take to decide what it should
Seizing Opportunities
listen to us as we share our belief in and
be doing. (These are included at the end We see growing unemployment rates, experience of a compassionate God.
of this article.) and many are hurting around the coun- Here are the steps I would recom-
try. What would the Extravagant Samari- mend for a church to take to reach a deci-
Having Choices
tan do? He would see it as an opportunity sion on what to do to help in these
Having choices when we face a time to minister, and he would minister far uncertain times:
of need is a sign of wealth. Not having beyond what the average person would. 1. Learn about the needs that exist in
choices is a danger of being poor. If some- If he should make a mistake, it would be your community, the dangers of being
thing happens to me in my life, I have on the side of being too compassionate poor, and what other ministries have
the blessing of having many options. If rather than not being compassionate done to be effective in ministering to
something happens to the very poor, enough. those in need.
they have limited or no options. What is All of the reasons we don’t want to 2. Take time to seek the Holy Spirit.
it like to be vulnerable without choices? minister to those in the ditch could have Ask (a) for His help for you and those
How alone would you feel if you had no been said about us by Jesus when His who are in need; (b) for wisdom, compas-
means of supporting yourself and you Father commissioned Him to come to sion, and strength for your ministry; (c)
felt that nobody cared about you? Many Earth. Jesus could have said, “Father, I that those who are in need would look to
people face such fear. People who fear don’t want to invest time with those peo- God as their hope and strength; (d) that
are open to hearing about a God who is ple. Don’t they deserve what they get? He will direct you in taking steps that will
our provider. By helping them develop They don’t follow Your laws; they are allow you to be Jesus to them; and (e)
options, we earn their confidence, which making life choices that are wrong all of that the Holy Spirit will give you words
in turn helps them listen to our Gospel the time. It is risky to get involved. If I that will make a difference.
message. get involved, I will get burned or even 3. Because of your prayers, you will
Many times Jesus said things that con- crucified.” Yet Jesus came, and His act of feel compassion for those who are suffer-
fused the religious. He suggested ways that compassion for you and me certainly ing. Jesus was deeply moved when He
were different than the ways taken by the gave us a choice we did not have. saw suffering. People will respond to you
EVANGEL • MAR 2009 9
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