The Good Samaritan

If you have kept up with the news, you know about Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor (and her boyfriend), and George Floyd. You know about the peaceful protests and the riots. Or, maybe you’re staying away from the news and social media; maybe it’s too hard to hear, or too sensitive an issue. For the longest time, I did the same thing. I knew about the issue, and yet I covered it all with a blanket. And in my actions – in my silence – I hurt so many.

I cannot be silent. We cannot remain silent. If we don’t fight this injustice and violence now, what happened to Ahmaud, Breonna, and George (along with hundreds of thousands of others throughout history) will continue to escalate. We must do better. Unfortunately, I have noticed that social justice gets a bad reputation amongst Christians; but if you read the Word, it becomes obvious that Jesus was a true representative and advocate for social justice. Listen to the story of the Good Samaritan:

In this parable, Jesus was answering an expert in the law (a lawyer), who was trying to entrap him with a question. He asked Jesus, “What should I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus pointed the expert back to the Ten Commandments, which says to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Trying again to entrap Jesus, the lawyer asked, ”Who is my neighbor?” This was Jesus’s answer:

“He asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’ In reply, Jesus said: ‘A [Jewish] man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by 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, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii 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’” (Luke 10:29-37).

Here is why this matters: at this time, Jews and Samaritans hated each other, both racially and biblically. This parable is so important because it demonstrates a need for social justice. The Levite was Jewish; so was the priest. In the Old Testament, Levites were given the responsibility for the Temple of God; these were the people who were supposed to be the “closest” to God, and yet, they passed over their brother.

And out of all people, a Samaritan stopped. He took care of the hurting Jewish man. In a situation where he could have passed due to years of engrained racism, he decided to stand up against injustice and hate. What’s even more important is that this man didn’t just stop, he put the man on his own donkey, and he paid the innkeeper two days wages to take care of the Jewish man, and offered to pay him even more if necessary. This person who was raised to believe that he was superior to the Jewish race because of his own lineage, completely disregarded that engrained racism, and stood up against history.

Whether we want to believe it or not, Jesus was an advocate for social justice. He shared the parable of the Good Samaritan in order to break and demolish all strongholds of racism, discrimination, and unjust privilege formed throughout hundreds of years. Through Jesus’s love, he smashed the engrained ideals of the past, and he showed the true meaning of justice and love.

I keep seeing “All Lives Matter,” and while that is true, we are focused on the hurting. We are focused on those who have suffered too long without a voice. We must step alongside POC and fight for their cause. Many of us suffer from engrained racism, but just like the Good Samaritan, we need to demolish those oppressive and harmful ideals. We must end the cycle of oppression and violence. We must do what the Good Samaritan did, and bring healing to the hurting. We need to listen to their voices and recognize our own privileges.

To my brothers are sisters who are POC, I am so sorry about the injustices and inequalities that you are facing. I am so sorry for my silence. I hope and pray that I can become an advocate and come alongside of you.

“He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them – He remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but He frustrates the ways of the wicked” (Psalm 146:7-9, NIV).