Just Do It!

Luke 10:25-37

As so often happens with one of Christ’s parables, the punch comes at the very last moment. In the case of the Good Samaritan, the punch does not come in Christ’s story itself, but in his very last word to his intended audience--a faithful biblical scholar wanting to know what matters--”Go and do likewise.”

That command summarizes Christ’s approach in his ministry and sets the crux for our faith. As followers of Christ, our creeds, dogmas, doctrines, and moral presuppositions matter little if we do not ever live them. It is the living of what we believe that makes all the difference.

So often we distill faith down to an intellectual exercise--declare Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, and all is well. But Jesus himself discounted such a proclamation, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven”  (Mt. 7:11, italics, mine). 

Is this really any surprise?

Jesus revealed the nature and intention of God with us--love that meets us in redeeming compassion. Jesus walked among the poorest of the poor. Jesus touched the most untouchable of the diseased. Jesus entered the place of dead to bring new life (Legion and Lazarus)--i.e., he went into the place declared the epitome of unclean by the Torah with the full grace and presence of God. Jesus’ greatest fury is leveled at the proclaimed protectors of the faith (the Temple authorities {Pharisees, Sadducees, Levites, etc.}) who were big on naming the Top Ten Lists of righteousness, but small on actually doing anything in the name of love. 

When the disciples and crowds asked Jesus what God required, Jesus directly told them to go and do--sell all that you have and give it to the poor; if someone asks for your coat, give them your shirt, too; if you want to save your life, lose it; feed them; tend my sheep; heal the sick; visit the imprisoned; clothe the naked; and on go the “red letter” statements of Jesus in the Gospels. In other words, love means nothing if you do not actually love anybody.

So, if we are at a loss about what God requires of us, look no further than a “red letter” edition of the Bible. As we read through statement after statement highlighted as Jesus’ actual teaching, we find repeatedly that what God wants is love--real, actual love that meets everyone we encounter with the fullness and power of compassion. We are to do more than pat someone suffering on the head, telling them it will be okay, but we are to enter their suffering and make it okay. 

It is all there in that simple, flat statement at the end of the Good Samaritan--

“Go and do likewise.”