Good Samaritan?

Good Morning,

Luke 9:23 (NIV)
Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."
Luke 10:25-37 (NIV)
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins 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.' "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

I think we can all agree that we are to be obedient to what Jesus said in Luke 9:23, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." I don't believe that anyone of us would argue this point that we are to "take up" whatever cross we feel is necessary in order to follow Jesus. In addition to the marvelous reward that we have received in accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior in our lives, we have also accepted certain responsibilities that come along with the rewards. It is my opinion and conclusion that taking up one's "cross" is, indeed, one of those responsibilities.

OK, so what does taking up one's cross have to do with the Good Samaritan? In reading both of these sections of Scripture, one shortly after the other, it came to me that BEING that Samaritan is, truly, at least one of the crosses that we are to take up in this world. But, how many of us do as the priest and the Levite did on that day? How many of us simply look for the easiest way to cross the street so we can be on the other side when we come upon someone who has an obvious need? Someone who, perhaps, hasn't been literally robbed, stripped, beaten and left for dead, but who an evident and undeniable needs in his or her life?

Tough questions, aren't they? They were for me, anyway, when they popped into my mind. I wish I could tell you honestly that every time I have seen someone in need that I've NOT crossed the road to get away from him...her. I wish that I could tell you that I have been like the Good Samaritan and have stopped, picked up that particular cross, and followed Jesus in such a way that would have made Him proud of me. I can't say that. I can't tell you that I've always done the right thing, that thing I know I was supposed to have done, that thing that would have made me just a tiny bit more like Jesus...whom I wish to follow.

How do you answer these questions? I hope your answers make you feel better than mine have done to me.

If we are to believe literally what Jesus told us about following Him...taking up the cross we find before us in any particular situation...then when we find this cross to take up, well, we need to not hesitate for even a moment and simply do as we know Jesus would have us to do in that circumstance. At least that's what it seems is right for me, what has been put into my heart and mind.

It sure gives us something to think about, doesn't it? Makes me think, for sure.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David