A Samaritan's Need to Team with Others

"On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, "Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you'" (Luke 10:35)

Have you ever met someone who thought that he was the "end all" in any particular endeavor of life, beloved? Such an attitude is especially deadly when it comes to serving Jesus Christ as the attitude of the Samaritan traveler in Jesus' parable makes clear for us. We have discovered thus far how he was able to be used in rescuing the wounded Hebrew because he was watchful of all going on around him. We also learned that he felt compassion for the man in need and that he was willing to be interrupted in his own journey by coming to his aid. We learned further that he was willing to be fully involved in bandaging up the man's wounds. And last week we learned the importance of his being committed to the long haul in seeing the man recover completely.

Finally, as we wrap up our consideration of the lessons from this parable, we note the Samaritan's willingness to ask help from the innkeeper and his request that he "take care of him" until he should return that way. Very simply, the Samaritan did not want to limit that man's care to what he himself could do alone. He recognized that ministry was not about him as a caregiver, but rather about meeting the needs of the man who fell among thieves. To that end he was more than willing to accept any and all assistance he could find in accomplishing that task.

How today you and I as effective servants of Jesus Christ need to be willing to work together with others in seeing to it that every need of every person is met. We need to remember always that ministry is about them and never about us. Thus, we should gladly welcome the intervention of other gifted saints who share the same burden that we feel for those left on the side of life's road by sin or catastrophe. I will never forget the day many years ago when my wife's car broke down on the side of the highway while I was miles away at work. She had a car full of groceries and had been on her way home. A very kind Park Police officer stopped behind her to see if he could lend some aid. He not only graciously carried her all the way home in his patrol car, but even carried every bag of groceries into the house for her. How grateful I was that day for the assistance of one who did what I was not equipped to do myself! That is precisely the attitude we must have today toward brothers and sisters in Christ who also have realized that ministry is not about us, but who are only too glad to come alongside and help to meet the needs of the lost and hurting. If you yourself would not want to be left stranded on the side of the road of life, beloved, by people who do not care, then why would you as a Christian ever be insensitive to others in need across whose paths the Spirit of God may lead you?

Ron