Good afternoon, friends. This is Pastor Don.
I have to say that the events of these past couple of weeks in Russia and the Ukraine have touched me deeply especially as I found myself preaching on the Good Samaritan story last Sunday – planned well before the invasion.
I can’t get past the images of more than 2 million refugees, mostly women and children, fleeing for their lives into unfamiliar neighboring countries while husbands and sons defend their homes. It sounds so much like the man robbed and beaten by the roadside in the Biblical story.
It seems far too easy for us religious folks to reason our way out of helping those who suffer just like the priest and levite must have done in Jesus’ time. There are times, I believe, when we think too much before helping those who are broken. This whole matter is quite simple, when you boil it down! We are just asked to allow our deep inner capacity for compassion and sympathy to move us to act when we see a need in front of us. We are not asked to spend too much time worrying over how worthy is the wounded person in front of us.
Just listen to your inner voice of compassion! It not only results in lifting another who is down, but it also lifts us. Compassion set free just has that effect.
LET’S PRAY: Loving God, what an example of compassion you are! Free us to be like you. Amen
