Pass You By

Luke 10 30 “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 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. 35 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.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Who was that man left half dead?  Why didn't the priest and Levite stop?  He may have been a good, religious Jew.  He may have been pagan, secular.  He may have been a Pharisee.  He may have been a Zealot.  He may have been a Tax Collector.  But he was left, abandoned.  Why would someone pass him by?

Why would someone pass me by?  Maybe they disagree with my politics. Maybe my attitude is a little over bearing (I have my days).  Maybe they don't like my sports team, my music, my movies.  Maybe I judged them for their sports team, their music, their movies.  We don't shop at the same place.  We are on different schedules.  My marriage looks one way, and their marriage looks another, or their marriage is falling apart.  They are old school and I am new.  Or maybe their new school makes my new school look old school.  I speak in tongues and they are very much reformed.  I am Protestant they are Catholic.  A lot of reasons for someone to pass me by.

Why would someone pass you by?  Are you too opinionated?  Are you sometimes rude?  Do you sometimes think you know more than the average Joe?  You have no idea why someone passed you by, but you know it may happen.

I can make sure I am humble and as far as it has to do with me that I am living at peace with all men.  After I do that I cannot help who passes me by, neither can you.

What we can do is make sure we are like the antihero of Jesus' story, the Samaritan.  He didn't look for a reason to pass that man by, although he had many.  He disagreed with that man in the ditch, half dead, on almost everything.  He disagreed with that man on religion, God, politics, nationality, race, music, worship, etc, etc, etc.  But he stopped anyway

Go and do likewise.