Sermon by Rev'd Canon Dawn Davis ~ 11th July 2010




7th Sunday after Pentecost
 

"Love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself." The Good Samaritan story is a powerful tale that challenges us to consider ‘Who is my neighbour?’ This is a core question of our faith that comes from the Old Testament and is picked up and strongly reinforced by Christ. So, who is this neighbour we are suppose to love as we love ourselves.


According to the story, the Samaritan had no idea who the man was who was stripped and beaten and left on the road half dead and so we can assume from the parable that to Jesus ‘neighbour’ includes perfect stranger. Loving the stranger is tough because our natural inclination is to be fearful of those who are not part of our family, clan or community, not like us.


But Jesus does not stop there with loving the stranger. In his story he used a Samaritan as the figure of compassion. To the listener this would have been very challenging because they were a despised and hated people. By doing this, Jesus pushes us to assume ‘neighbour’ to also include our enemies which would be consistent with his earlier directive to ‘love your enemies’.


Now I don’t know about you but this has to be one of the most challenging character building spiritual exercises you will try. Loving the stranger is one thing, but loving the enemy is quite another. The problem is the pain, anger, hurt and resentment that settles between people and which distorts truth and impedes trust and locks in bitterness.


So the message from this parable is really important and really challenging. The lessons in it are very key but there is a danger associated with it if it is read simplistically or naively.


The Good Samaritan parable is just that, it is a parable, it is not a real or true story. Jesus told it as a teaching tool to help a young lawyer better understand what it meant to love God and neighbour. And so, it is by definition overdrawn, overstated.


Edwin Friedman a now deceased but noted family systems counsellor noticed that individuals and communities would sometimes take this parable or others like it, too far. Beyond what it was intended. ‘Who is my neighbour?’ got lost in the need to be needed.


So he wrote his own parables called Freidman’s Fables. Here is one called the Bridge.


There was a man who finally knew where he wanted to go in life. The opportunity would only be available for a short time and only come once and so he set out to obtain it. As he journeyed toward his goal he came upon a bridge. As he crossed it a man approached him with a rope tied around his waste. The man with the rope said to him; "Pardon me, would you be so kind as to hold the end a moment?" He did, and immediately the man tied to the rope jumped off the bridge. He held on as tightly as he could but was almost pulled over himself.


"What are you trying to do?" He yelled. "Just hold tight." said the other. "This is ridiculous." the man thought and no matter what he did he could not get leverage.


"Just remember if you let go I will be lost?" said the man dangling on the rope.


"But I can’t pull you up." the man holding the rope cried.


"I am your responsibility." said the man on the rope.


"I did not ask for this." said the man holding the rope.


"If you let go, I am lost."


The man holding the rope began looking for help but none came. "What do you want?" asked the man holding the rope.


"Just your help." was the answer.


"How can I help? I cannot pull you in." said the man on the bridge.


"Just hang on; that will be enough. Tie the rope around your waist; it will be easier." said the man on the rope. So he did that.


This continued for some time. The man holding the rope knew that he was in a dilemma. If he let go how could he live with himself. If he continued to hold on he would not be able to accomplish his own long-sought-after salvation.


The critical moment was drawing near as he would soon be late for his destiny. Then it occurred to him, if the man below could crawl up the rope he could save himself. But the other wasn’t interested. Instead he shouted back in tears, "If you fail I will die."


The man holding the rope knew it was now the man’s life or his. Then a revelation started to dawn upon him. He said, "Listen carefully because I mean what I say. I will not accept the position of choice for your life; the position of choice for your own life I hereby give back to you." The man on the rope was afraid. "This means that I will be your counterweight and you pull and bring yourself up."


"You would not be so selfish. I am your responsibility. What could be so important to let someone die?" was the answer.


The man holding the rope waited a moment and there was no change in the tension of the rope. "I accept your choice." he said, at last, and freed his hands.



Just like the Good Samaritan story, Freidman’s Fable is overdrawn to make a point. On the surface it seems like the Good Samaritan is about reaching out to help others and going the extra mile to do it. While Friedman’s Fable seems to be saying it is prudent to limit the amount you are willing to sacrifice for others.


In fact, the Good Samaritan story is about how you define and respond to your enemy. Freidman’s story says that when we reach out to ‘love’ be careful not to go too far and take away or take on that person’s responsibility for themselves.


There is a sin associated with taking on responsibility that rightfully belongs to the other. It is not heartless or unfaithful, in fact, Freidman would say that Jesus and our understanding of God show us that although they are all loving and compassionate they never take away the individual’s responsibility for themselves, hence free choice.


Have you every found yourself in a situation where you have reached out to help then find yourself in over your head. Or someone has come to you with all kinds of anxiety and concerns and out of Christian charity you listen but it is all gossip and negative talk and there is an unwillingness to see where they were responsible for the problem.


Our Christian path is one where we are called to be compassionate, compassionate beyond measure as we are called to reach out to perfect stranger and even our enemies and give sacrificially. But be wise, prudent and faithful in this calling. Never reach beyond your limit and take on someone else’s responsibility for themselves. That is not your calling.


God’s blessings on your journey and on your ministry of compassion. And God’s blessings on your discernment of what is your responsibility and what belongs to the other.