Word for the Week June 9-16
By: Evang. Cascille Hammack
"But when 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,
took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins 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."
Most professed Christians have read Luke 10:25-37 which is the parable of the Good Samaritan that Jesus
told. I had a very sobering experience recently. The Lord allowed me to feel the suffering of the man who had been injured
on the road in the parable, by allowing me to feel the suffering of a fellow believer, a brother in Christ, who was in a similar
situation, even by circumstances worse than the one Jesus spoke of in the parable. The pain of the physical infliction
did not compare to the deep pain of seeing professed believers and even church leaders "cross to the other side of the
street" instead of reaching out from their hearts in compassion to help the distressed brother in desperate need.
I saw that it caused them pain to look upon the suffering, so they found it easier to do as the priest and Levite did in Jesus'
parable when they saw the man beaten half dead and naked on the street. They simply crossed to the other side and looked
away like it had not happened. But it did happen. I watched appalled as one by one many who had position in church
and who had professed to be in the faith turned away and did not even want to hear of the suffering of this precious
child of God. It is so painful to the one in need. Those who are professed Christians, yet whose hearts are insensitive
to the suffering around them, give evidence that they do not have eternal life in them. Jesus warned very clearly
about this in Matthew 25:31-46 when He gave the parable of the Sheep and the Goats. He said plainly in Matthew
25:40, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me." He
explains in Mt. 25:41, "...Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink. I was a stranger
and you did not invite Me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after
Me." They ask Him, when did we not do these things? Jesus declares in Matthew 25:45,46, "..I tell
you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me. Then they will go away
to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
It broke my heart to witness what I recently
saw of all of the professed believers passing by on the other side of the street in the face of such intense suffering.
I can imagine how Jesus' heart breaks and grieves as well. A regenerated heart in Christ will produce love, mercy
and compassion for those who are distressed and afflicted. If the Holy Spirit's love resides in a person's heart
they will act to help without hesitation just as Jesus does. If their hearts are hardened it will be obvious as it was
in the life of the priest and the Levite in the parable of the Good Samaritan. This week, read Luke 10:25-37 and test
yourself to see if you are in the faith. What do your actions say? Then read Matthew 25:31-46 about the Sheep
and the Goats and see what Jesus says about it.
