Author Tim Hansel tells about a seminary professor who set up his homiletics class in an unusual way. Each student was required to deliver a sermon on the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37). They were to go from classroom to classroom preaching love and compassion for others. Some students had ten minutes between classes, while others had less time, which forced them to hurry in order to stay on schedule. Each student was also required to walk down a designated corridor past a ‘beggar’ who had been deliberately planted there by the professor. What happened that day was a powerful lesson. The number of would-be preachers who stopped to help the beggar was extremely low, especially among those who were pressured for time. They were so busy rushing to preach about the Good Samaritan that they walked right past the beggar at the heart of the parable. Here is a paraphrase of Christ’s words in Matthew 25 that’s designed to make you think, pray, and reach out to hurting people: ‘I was hungry, and you formed a humanities club to discuss it. I was imprisoned, and you stayed home to pray for my release. I was naked, and you debated the morality of my appearance. I was sick, and you thanked God for your health. I was homeless, and you preached to me about the shelter of God’s love. You seem so holy and so close to God, but I’m still hungry, lonely, cold, and in pain. Does it matter to you?’ Don’t just talk about God’s love; show it!

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.