'That Theory' part 1/2

I’ve been thinking this morning about that theory I mentioned a few posts back. Well, it’s not one of those theories that can be put into a paragraph; its better title would be ‘ramblings of my heart.’

And as I’ve been thinking about it, I’ve done something that I think every Christian has done—put myself in Jesus’ parables. I like to retell the story and add details that I think would have been there on the day it took place like suspense just because I know what the end of the story is (the good guy wins). Yes, I know I have an overactive imagination, but hang in there with me, I want to share with you the way the Parable of the Good Samaritan played out in my mind. [based on Luke 10:25-37]

Hello! I’m just a normal everyday Jewish man living in the city of Jerusalem. Really, there is nothing that special about me, I work, love my family, attend synagogue, and try to follow the law and serve Jehovah God. This is just a story of one of the days in my life out of many, but one that I think you would like to hear about.

One day, early in the morning, business required me to go to Jericho; it’s not far, but a quite treacherous journey really. So I did all that must be done in the morning, from scooting my boys off to school to praying and kissing my wife. I then packed my bags, and being the forgetful me, couldn’t find my walking sandals, so I scurried around the house looking for them. Of course by then, you can imagine I’m much later than I intended, so after stopping to talk to just a few friends on my way out the gate, I was off at a canter for Jericho.

It was an uneventful trip, really, I kept an eye out for robbers, but none were around. Until, suddenly something eventful did happen. You see I was walking along when my senses came to high alert. I started looking around, slowly creeping by each rock so nothing would jump out at me. The bend in the road became my worst enemy. Fear had my pulse racing! I rounded the bend, and saw them. Buzzards. They were flying circles, and inching up to something that was lying on the side of the road. I came close and saw it was a man. Beaten, robbed and left for dead. At that moment, as the smell overwhelmed me, I covered my face, moved over as far as I could and walked right on by…..

And that was when my mind came to a screeching halt. Wait! Hold it! I know how this story ends!

I wanted to be the Samaritan. I wanted to be the one who Jesus wanted me to be. I wanted to make myself feel good. But I was the Levite. I passed by the needy, the hurting, and the lost.

So today, the deep pondering of my heart is this: What if I’m so busy trying to dissect Jesus’ teaching and figure out how to make it work in my life today that I’m missing out on what He is really saying. What if I’m “doing good” simply because I’m “not doing bad” and I’m not even recognizing that there is a desperate cry from the darkness for me—us followers of Jesus Christ—to rescue them.

I do want to make it clear that I’m not beating myself up. Soon, when I work up my courage, I’ll share what it is that I have been passing by. But, like my good friend and mentor, Christina, said, “Deep pondering is often painful, but always necessary.”