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What Does It Take to Love? – Part 4: Trained and Resourced
What Does It Take to Love? – Part 4: Trained and Resourced
David W Palmer
(Luke 10:30–34 NKJV) Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. … But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. {34} So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.”
We are currently looking into Jesus’s answer to the lawyer’s question: “Who is my neighbour?” This was the lawyer’s response to Jesus’s conversation with him; originally, he had asked Jesus what it would take for him to receive eternal life. Both Jesus and the lawyer agreed that he should obey the commandments—and in particular, the heart of the Old Testament: Love God and neighbour. But he wanted to justify himself for not loving others by asking, “Who is my neighbour?” In answer, Jesus gave him the parable of the Good Samaritan to explain God’s perspective on what it would take to love a neighbour—thus clarifying who a neighbour is.
Yesterday, we saw that love for a neighbour would involve compassion and the willingness to get involved … in particular, with someone who despises you. Continuing, we see that to love in the way God wants us to would require us to be:
- Fit, healthy, and Strong
The benevolent traveller was both fit and strong; he was out journeying in Jesus’s historic setting—meaning rough conditions. He was travelling with an animal and possessions—not first class in luxury seating (he certainly wasn’t at home lounging or lazing about). The Samaritan could obviously get down to where the wounded man was lying—requiring movement, dexterity, and bending; he could then “set” him “on his own animal,” requiring strength and fitness; and he could walk beside them to the inn. We should never take our health for granted; we should do what we can do to remain well, fit, and strong. According to Jesus’s depiction of how to love neighbors, this is important when offering practical love. So let’s ensure we eat right, tend to our health, and exercise to remain fit. (Obviously, if we are disabled or incapacitated, this does not apply to us in the same way.)
- First Aid Competent
The kind Samaritan was trained; he knew how to bandage wounds, and he knew what to apply to them. At the inn, he also knew how to take care of his patient. We need to emulate this exemplary action that Jesus depicted in his explanation; it is the practical love that flows from the person who qualifies for eternal life. I encourage you to ensure that you are trained and equipped in whatever it takes to help compassionately. For example, you could do a first aid course, learn counseling, develop in handy-man skills, or ensure you could give practical assistance to someone who needs help around the house or with their children: washing, cleaning, ironing, cooking, lawn-mowing, etc.
- Resourced
The Good Samaritan had an “animal”—probably a donkey, mule, horse, or camel—plus he had wine and oil to spare. This is where Jesus’s love exemplar becomes very challenging. The compassionate role model had wealth (defined as the items money can buy, not the money itself): he could pay for an animal to carry the patient; he had surplus wine and oil, and he had money on hand to pay for an inn—not only for himself but also for the man he was helping.
We could easily justify ourselves at this point, saying: “But that man was rich, so he could afford all of those things.” However, if we simply justify our own lack of resources, we will completely miss Jesus’s point. To love effectively in practical ways takes forethought, planning, and preparation. Jesus himself brought up this story; he knew that it would challenge us. So instead of becoming defensive about it, we need to take it on board, accept the challenge, and begin planning to
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By DAVID W. PALMERWhat Does It Take to Love? – Part 4: Trained and Resourced
David W Palmer
(Luke 10:30–34 NKJV) Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. … But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. {34} So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.”
We are currently looking into Jesus’s answer to the lawyer’s question: “Who is my neighbour?” This was the lawyer’s response to Jesus’s conversation with him; originally, he had asked Jesus what it would take for him to receive eternal life. Both Jesus and the lawyer agreed that he should obey the commandments—and in particular, the heart of the Old Testament: Love God and neighbour. But he wanted to justify himself for not loving others by asking, “Who is my neighbour?” In answer, Jesus gave him the parable of the Good Samaritan to explain God’s perspective on what it would take to love a neighbour—thus clarifying who a neighbour is.
Yesterday, we saw that love for a neighbour would involve compassion and the willingness to get involved … in particular, with someone who despises you. Continuing, we see that to love in the way God wants us to would require us to be:
- Fit, healthy, and Strong
The benevolent traveller was both fit and strong; he was out journeying in Jesus’s historic setting—meaning rough conditions. He was travelling with an animal and possessions—not first class in luxury seating (he certainly wasn’t at home lounging or lazing about). The Samaritan could obviously get down to where the wounded man was lying—requiring movement, dexterity, and bending; he could then “set” him “on his own animal,” requiring strength and fitness; and he could walk beside them to the inn. We should never take our health for granted; we should do what we can do to remain well, fit, and strong. According to Jesus’s depiction of how to love neighbors, this is important when offering practical love. So let’s ensure we eat right, tend to our health, and exercise to remain fit. (Obviously, if we are disabled or incapacitated, this does not apply to us in the same way.)
- First Aid Competent
The kind Samaritan was trained; he knew how to bandage wounds, and he knew what to apply to them. At the inn, he also knew how to take care of his patient. We need to emulate this exemplary action that Jesus depicted in his explanation; it is the practical love that flows from the person who qualifies for eternal life. I encourage you to ensure that you are trained and equipped in whatever it takes to help compassionately. For example, you could do a first aid course, learn counseling, develop in handy-man skills, or ensure you could give practical assistance to someone who needs help around the house or with their children: washing, cleaning, ironing, cooking, lawn-mowing, etc.
- Resourced
The Good Samaritan had an “animal”—probably a donkey, mule, horse, or camel—plus he had wine and oil to spare. This is where Jesus’s love exemplar becomes very challenging. The compassionate role model had wealth (defined as the items money can buy, not the money itself): he could pay for an animal to carry the patient; he had surplus wine and oil, and he had money on hand to pay for an inn—not only for himself but also for the man he was helping.
We could easily justify ourselves at this point, saying: “But that man was rich, so he could afford all of those things.” However, if we simply justify our own lack of resources, we will completely miss Jesus’s point. To love effectively in practical ways takes forethought, planning, and preparation. Jesus himself brought up this story; he knew that it would challenge us. So instead of becoming defensive about it, we need to take it on board, accept the challenge, and begin planning to