Others
Psalm 82:1-4, Luke 10:25-37
The two readings above are from this week’s lectionary; their overall theme is helping others. And the passage from Luke is one we are all familiar with, the “Good Samaritan”.
When have we helped “others”? Has it been outside the walls of the church? Have we walked past someone in need? These questions are not to point a finger at inactivity but to make us think about how we should reach out to those in need.
Helping “others” may be as simple as making a monetary gift to an organization like UMCOR but why not go a step further and be part of a recovery team following a disaster, like flooding. Why not come down to JM on Thursday evenings and help serve food and even lend a listening ear to our neighbors attending Common Grounds? Trust me, you will be blessed. How about checking on your own neighbors during a prolonged electrical outage? Are they cool, do they need something from the store?
When you see someone that may need help and your gut feeling or inner voice says, stop and help, do you listen? I recently observed some young people doing just this on US Route 60 near Barboursville. (I had stopped at a traffic light to make a turn, and I observed what was unfolding). See, there is a gentleman who has everything he owns stacked high on a cart that he pulls behind a bicycle as he travels around the Route 60 and Barboursville area. Well, apparently the cart had gotten stuck, and he was trying to free it. (This I learned later) The young people had stopped to help him, when everyone else just passed by. Remember the Good Samaritan, stepping out of his comfort zone.
God has charged each of us to do “give justice to and rescue the weak”. Micah 6:8 “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly[a] with your God.”
Pray;
God of justice, your word is light and truth. Let your face shine on us to restore us, that we may walk in your way, seeking justice and doing good. Amen. 1
1: from Revised Common Lectionary
The two readings above are from this week’s lectionary; their overall theme is helping others. And the passage from Luke is one we are all familiar with, the “Good Samaritan”.
When have we helped “others”? Has it been outside the walls of the church? Have we walked past someone in need? These questions are not to point a finger at inactivity but to make us think about how we should reach out to those in need.
Helping “others” may be as simple as making a monetary gift to an organization like UMCOR but why not go a step further and be part of a recovery team following a disaster, like flooding. Why not come down to JM on Thursday evenings and help serve food and even lend a listening ear to our neighbors attending Common Grounds? Trust me, you will be blessed. How about checking on your own neighbors during a prolonged electrical outage? Are they cool, do they need something from the store?
When you see someone that may need help and your gut feeling or inner voice says, stop and help, do you listen? I recently observed some young people doing just this on US Route 60 near Barboursville. (I had stopped at a traffic light to make a turn, and I observed what was unfolding). See, there is a gentleman who has everything he owns stacked high on a cart that he pulls behind a bicycle as he travels around the Route 60 and Barboursville area. Well, apparently the cart had gotten stuck, and he was trying to free it. (This I learned later) The young people had stopped to help him, when everyone else just passed by. Remember the Good Samaritan, stepping out of his comfort zone.
God has charged each of us to do “give justice to and rescue the weak”. Micah 6:8 “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly[a] with your God.”
Pray;
God of justice, your word is light and truth. Let your face shine on us to restore us, that we may walk in your way, seeking justice and doing good. Amen. 1
1: from Revised Common Lectionary
Fred Herr
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