As one of the lessons in my series of Tuesday morning Bible studies here at DJs, we studied today from the 10th chapter of Luke, in which is recited the immortal and enduring story of the “Good Samaritan.” As I prepared the wrap-up portion of the lesson, writing of the parallel between the Good Samaritan and the Church, it struck me forcefully how much easier it is to tend to the physical and financial needs of people, than it is to deal with their spiritual needs. There were six of us in the session today, and we all agreed this to be true.
I warned my group, though with this thought: As terrible as it is to be physically injured, stripped, bloody and dying, and as important as it is for us to have compassion on such people, and to tend their needs, there just is no comparison between physical and spiritual needs. The people we pass on the street, deal with at the checkout counter, interact with in a restaurant, are stripped, bleeding and dying. We must stop, have compassion on them, and TEND TO THEIR WOUNDS. Hard, isn’t it? More complicated than handing out dollars, or sticking on plastic bandages, or furnishing a ride to the hospital. Spiritual sickness and soul wounds may be invisible, the patient may not want our ministrations, we may not know exactly where to place the stitches, but IT MUST BE DONE.
God help us, give us wisdom, discernment, grit, boldness and fortitude.
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My other blog is here.
How true and how timely. I had trouble with the link on your other blog. I missed the daily devotions, until I went back and found another way to get here. Thanks
In life there are some who are firm believers in taking every kind of pill or searching out a cure for what ails them physically.I wonder why when we are offered the absolute cure for our spiritual ailments we often question them?
Thank you Dean and Mike for reading here and for your comments. Dean: Answer Mike’s question.
…with love…
[...] Lack of a Good Samaritan On June 19th, 2007 I wrote a short piece about how tending to people’s spiritual needs is actually more important than caring for them [...]