This summer I have done a lot of thinking about three verses found in Mark chapter 12:
Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
During a quick trip to the library I came across a book called, 40 Days Living the Jesus Creed by Scot McKnight. It sounds intense and a little weird but let me tell you that I am just eating it up! It's a 40 day devo that helps you apply those 3 verses everyday.
About 4 days into this 40 day devo I was talking to a good friend on the phone. She was telling me that she had a court date coming up in a few days--after I asked her why she proceeded to tell me a story that I won't forget.
She said that a few months ago she was heading back home at like 1am to her apartment. To get back to her apartment she has to drive through the center of campus where there are lots of bars, etc. Night life is always booming! In the midst of the criwded streets she notices that there is a guy beating a girl on the side of the road to the point that she is laying on the sidewalk while the guy is yelling and hitting her. My friend notices people looking and walking away. She immediately pulls her car up on the the sidewalk right next to this scene, puts her 4 way flashers on and rolls down her window and yells for the vistim to get in her car...over and over she yells(All the while calling 911)! The girl will not escaoe to my friend's car. She even asks a guy that is looking at the scene to do something or say something to this abusive guy, he looks at my friend and then drives off. The guy that is continually beating this girl starts to yell back at my friend. She doesn't move. She stays until help comes. The police interview her and now she has a court date to testify as a witness.
Now, I wonder about what I would have done. I think if I had seen this same scene- I would have prayed really hard for them as I drove home to my comfy bed! But, I believe that my friend did JUST what Jesus calls us to do in Mark 12. She lived out what Jesus calls the greatest thing. She showed neighbor-love. She loved someone she didn't know as herself. I want to be like this.
Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?"He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise." Luke 10:36-37
No comments:
Post a Comment