Can I be a good Samaritan?
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
An email from my darling wrote:-
“Malaysian friend (girl) from my previous company is asking to borrow $$$ cos she got into a road accident, i think.”
My initial reaction was: what? Why? And why approach you? How much does she need etc … lots of questions in my head, maybe even anger/defensiveness …
A while later, I came across today’s reading @ Veritas: Luke 10:25-37 (New International Version) The Parable of the Good Samaritan
The verse that stood out was this:-
'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'[a]; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[b]"
Love the Lord with all my heart and soul and strength and mind – am I doing this?
Well, definitely not ALL my heart, soul, strength and mind. Sometimes, I may want to do things according to my way instead of His. Sometimes, I would rather play or watch TV than to spend time with Him. Sometimes, I would rather go to sleep than to read His words.
Do I love my neighbour as myself?
Hmm, the girl presented above is not my friend. I would help her if I know her – by face, by name or by the mere fact that she is working in some dept in my company but here, I do not even know her. What is her credibility? Would the money lent to her turn into bad debts? Was she really a victim of a road accident? Should I doubt her? I do not really like people coming up to my love ones and asking them to lend them money. What makes them think that we are able to help?
I read on in Luke – the man who was left half dead was saved by a Samaritan (probably this is how the phrase “Good Samaritan” comes about). I suppose the Samaritan does not know the man but he still helped nevertheless.
Is the Samaritan mentioned above a rich man? If yes, then I would suppose he wouldn’t have any problem parting with a few dollars to save the man. Or is he a poor man? The Samaritan provided food, clothes and shelter to the man. He is showing mercy to him. Money is just a means, a tool to allow him to carry out such tasks.
In my email, there was another point for reflection:-
“Jesus reminds us today that "our neighbours" are not only those who live beside us, but also those whom we are angry with, exploited and prejudiced against due to race, religion and rank. Christ reached out to all peoples including those who condemned Him. What is Jesus saying to you now?”
How can I show mercy to the girl - with money? What if I lend her the money but it was never returned (OK, the answer here is that Jesus died on the cross for all of us, how can we repay Him? Can we ever repay Him? Are we able to repay Him?)? Can I still show mercy without the use of money? Money may be the most important thing to her now but is there any other way that I can help? Am I willing to help?
With all the teachings about His love, loving the people around me, and being His Light - how can I put what I have learnt into practice? (it is not easy - well, no one said that it will be easy.) Do I love God enough to “do to the least of the brother?”
Father, guide me.
p.s after all this, the girl did not get into any accident but she needed some money to start her own business …. Well, why are people like this? Should I help? *sheesh, I am back to square one again”.
“Malaysian friend (girl) from my previous company is asking to borrow $$$ cos she got into a road accident, i think.”
My initial reaction was: what? Why? And why approach you? How much does she need etc … lots of questions in my head, maybe even anger/defensiveness …
A while later, I came across today’s reading @ Veritas: Luke 10:25-37 (New International Version) The Parable of the Good Samaritan
The verse that stood out was this:-
'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'[a]; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[b]"
Love the Lord with all my heart and soul and strength and mind – am I doing this?
Well, definitely not ALL my heart, soul, strength and mind. Sometimes, I may want to do things according to my way instead of His. Sometimes, I would rather play or watch TV than to spend time with Him. Sometimes, I would rather go to sleep than to read His words.
Do I love my neighbour as myself?
Hmm, the girl presented above is not my friend. I would help her if I know her – by face, by name or by the mere fact that she is working in some dept in my company but here, I do not even know her. What is her credibility? Would the money lent to her turn into bad debts? Was she really a victim of a road accident? Should I doubt her? I do not really like people coming up to my love ones and asking them to lend them money. What makes them think that we are able to help?
I read on in Luke – the man who was left half dead was saved by a Samaritan (probably this is how the phrase “Good Samaritan” comes about). I suppose the Samaritan does not know the man but he still helped nevertheless.
Is the Samaritan mentioned above a rich man? If yes, then I would suppose he wouldn’t have any problem parting with a few dollars to save the man. Or is he a poor man? The Samaritan provided food, clothes and shelter to the man. He is showing mercy to him. Money is just a means, a tool to allow him to carry out such tasks.
In my email, there was another point for reflection:-
“Jesus reminds us today that "our neighbours" are not only those who live beside us, but also those whom we are angry with, exploited and prejudiced against due to race, religion and rank. Christ reached out to all peoples including those who condemned Him. What is Jesus saying to you now?”
How can I show mercy to the girl - with money? What if I lend her the money but it was never returned (OK, the answer here is that Jesus died on the cross for all of us, how can we repay Him? Can we ever repay Him? Are we able to repay Him?)? Can I still show mercy without the use of money? Money may be the most important thing to her now but is there any other way that I can help? Am I willing to help?
With all the teachings about His love, loving the people around me, and being His Light - how can I put what I have learnt into practice? (it is not easy - well, no one said that it will be easy.) Do I love God enough to “do to the least of the brother?”
Father, guide me.
p.s after all this, the girl did not get into any accident but she needed some money to start her own business …. Well, why are people like this? Should I help? *sheesh, I am back to square one again”.
after tot - i shall try to understand the situation first before deciding.
posted by Francesca Cecilia at 1:06 PM, | 
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