The Genuine Samaritans

September 19, 2005

Bishop T. D. Jakes of the Potter’s House delivered a powerful sermon Friday at Washington’s National Cathedral as our nation observed a National Day of Prayer for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Bishop Jakes used the story of the Good Samaritan as the setting for measuring responses to the wounded and helpless. That wonderful message, the best I have heard in along time, contained five basic ideas. For those of you who may not have heard it, and with apologies to Bishop Jakes for my “borrowing” his ideas (and certainly not communicating them as well as he did), I share these recollections.

1. The Levite and the priest teach us that restoration is more than observation. These religious leaders saw the man in need, but passed by on the other side, offering no help; pretending he was not there; keeping to their tight schedule; and saying, “Someone else can help him.” We see the wounded and helpless in New Orleans, Hancock County, and Biloxi. Will the church pass by on the other side of the road? (Note: There are 300,000 displaced people from New Orleans. There are 300,000 faith congregations in the United States. Somebody, do the math!)
2. Real ministry is willing to reach beyond our neighborhoods. Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan in response to a question about “who is my neighbor?” That gets to the heart of the law and prophets, for the greatest “laws” are to love God and my neighbor as myself. If I neatly define my neighbors as people like me, whom I like, then the task is easy. But for a Samaritan to love a Jew, that takes courage!
3. To help those beaten down, we must get off our high horses. The Samaritan got off his horse, and got down to where the wounded man lay. Jakes said, “Until we love enough to trade places with the poor…then healing will not be real.” He added, “You cannot help people if you exult yourself above them.” (Can I get an Amen?)
4. Resources, not rhetoric, changed this man’s life. Jakes reminded us that in no instance does the Samaritan speak to the wounded man. No blaming, no sermonizing, no pontificating about how he got himself in this situation. No words, just deeds, binding up wounds, healing, and genuine ministry. Many good sounding promises are being made; but the proof will be in actions, not words.
5. Finally, relationships are productive. The fact that the Samaritan knew, and held the respect, of the inn keeper, created a hospital for the wounded man. Note also that the Samaritan paid for his care. Ministry always costs us something, or it is not genuine.
   
   Bishop Jakes added these five points are like five fingers on our hands, poised to “stretch out and touch the hurting, the poor, and the underserved.” “We cannot multiply by dividing. We cannot add by subtracting.”
   
   Wow! I wish I could preach like that. Thank you Bishop Jakes. Amen, and another Amen.