Margin in our Lives

The Good Samaritan, the Priest, and the  Levite

I’ve heard the story of the Good Samaritan taught dozens of times and read it numerous times. It's one of those Sunday School stories engrained into most curriculums, that help teach children to be good people, right?

The Parable Jesus taught is:

“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.  So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.  The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” – Luke 10:30-37 (NIV)

I find it especially interesting that Jesus refers to the man He is teaching as "the expert in the law".  Shouldn't the "expert" in God's law know what God would want us to do when we see another in need? The expert knew who God would have mercy on, and yet Jesus concluded the teaching by telling him to "Go and do likewise"... 

Could we be "experts in the law" and need a kick in the rear to "go and do"? 

I know I do from time to time.

This teaching is not obsolete in today's culture as we should see each person as someone who God created in His perfect majesty. He loves them and so should we! Not only is it important for us to see each other as equals, and for us to care for those in need rather than ignore them as the priest and Levite did, we must have room in our lives to do so. 

Better said, we must have margin in our lives to care for others.

In our consumer and individualistic culture that promotes “self” and “super-size it”, it’s so easy to get caught up in “us”.  The American culture disciples us that we need that faster car, that bigger house, that nicer "thing".  God has blessed me with a great job so I can buy all of this stuff right?

If we get caught up in that mindset, we become a slave to it, because once you get “that next thing”, something else becomes “that next thing” that you chase after.  

But that’s not what Jesus taught is it?

I recently heard a provoking question: If God answered every single one of your prayers today, would you radically be changed? or would the entire world?

Convicting thought huh? It sure was for me... 

Jesus taught us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:39).  That means we shouldn’t ignore someone who is hurting, as the priest and Levite did in the parable. We have to avoid a mindset that we won't make a difference, that's apathy. Can you imagine what Christianity would look like today if the disciples, or the Apostle Paul, were apathetic and decided that going on mission to share the Gospel wouldn't make a difference?

We should also be careful not to become too busy to take time to help someone in need.  This can be especially challenging in our culture as many of us carry lots of responsibility: working, married, raising children, and/or involved in ministry. I think this is the greatest barrier for many of us in actually reaching people, it certainly is for me. 

Our schedules so easily become full, doing many things that create no time to set aside and help someone. We're then only able to help someone when it's convenient for our schedules. Sounds selfish huh?  

How many times has someone asked you "How are you doing?" and you shake your head and reply with something like "man, I'm so busy".

(I am so guilty of this one...)

Here's the thing... Being busy doesn't make you important. It makes you busy; and busy people don't have time to help others.

But have you ever made time, sat down and just listened to a homeless, or hurting person’s story? Maybe just to pray for them or talk to them? They’re not always the result of a bad decision they may have made. And even if that is the case, haven’t you and I made many bad decisions too?  

Funny thing about grace is that it usually seems unfair until you’re the one who needs it…

I’m reminded of a quote by Dorothy Day:

"The Gospel takes away our right forever, to discriminate between the deserving and the undeserving poor.”

Another important aspect of margin is that we cannot be so stretched financially, trying to attain the things of this world, that we have no resources to help others.  If we are chasing after the things of this world and have no extra money or resources to help someone else, are we truly obeying Jesus in Matthew 22?

To create margin in our lives requires us to be intentional. We have to leave room in our day for others, which may look like leaving the house a few minutes early instead of scrambling to get out the door. It may mean buying a lesser expensive option and setting aside some funds for a person in need. More than anything, it’s making room in your life for God to use you according to His perfect plan!

We don’t know why the priest or the Levite walked by the man that was beaten half dead. They could have been too busy. They could have been apathetic or maybe not had any extra money or resources to offer him or help him with. It could have been that their hearts were so hard that they did not hurt to see someone in need.

My challenge is that we pray that God would teach us to see others the way He sees them (and sees you as well). It just might change the power of the Gospel to you! If we start seeing others as God sees them, we’d stop ignoring the hurts of others and love them like Jesus wants us to.