SACRIFICIAL LOVE

Do you ever wonder if Jesus’ parables have a deeper meaning than what we attribute to them?  When viewed from a Middle Eastern perspective many of these stories contain a richer interpretation. Take, for example, the parable of the Good Samaritan.  From a Western viewpoint this story is about a man who showed generosity of spirit by going the second mile to help a stranger in need.  We’ve even coined these people “Good Samaritans”.   But there is a lot more to this parable than meets the eye.

The hero in this story is not a Jew but an outsider who is viewed with suspicion and even hatred. Unlike the two Jewish travelers on the road before him, the Samaritan is moved with compassion. He uses all his available resources (oil, wine, a cloth to wrap the wounds, his riding animal, time, energy, and money) to care for the wounded man.

What is even more special about the Samaritan is that he then risks his own life to transport the wounded Jew to an inn within the Jewish territory so he can spend the night nursing him back to health. A Samaritan is not safe in a Jewish town especially if he enters with a wounded Jew over the back of his donkey. This scene is likely to evoke community vengeance against him even if he saved the life of a Jew.

To put this story into an American context, imagine a Cherokee Indian (Circa 1850 AD) finding an American cowboy with three arrows in his back. He gently places the wounded cowboy and on his horse and enters Carson City in Nevada where he rents a room so he can spend the night taking care of him. How would the citizens of Carson City react to the Native American the next morning? Would they assume him guilty and take his life? Possibly!

After the Samaritan paid his bill the next morning and left the inn was he able to escape the town alive?  Was he confronted by a crowd waiting for him outside? Was he beaten or killed?  Jesus leaves the story open-ended inviting his audience to supply the missing conclusion.

This story speaks of unconditional love that is sacrificial, very risky, and beyond the capacity of human love.  It is divinely inspired.  Through this parable Jesus was educating his audience about the magnitude of His love for them that would ultimately culminate in leading Him to His costly death on the Cross.

In my work with Muslim people, both in the Middle East and in the immigrant community in the United States, I have discovered that stories are a powerful way to communicate truth. A metaphor communicates in ways that rational arguments cannot. That’s why television and movies are so effective.  Thus in my efforts to build bridges with Muslims I find that stories speak deeply to them. When a Muslim hears parables that demonstrate God’s sacrificial love it touches their hearts because Islamic laws and practice offer nothing in comparison. They long to know the reality of a God who loves them unconditionally and I enjoy telling stories to help them discover that love.

But we don’t stop here.  Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship is also involved in training people who are called to serve illiterate peoples. We teach them how to use oral communication so that their audience can learn about God’s redemptive love through powerful story-telling. The response has been great.

We all love a good story. It touches our heart and our imagination. So next time you find yourself searching for a way to share your faith with someone try using a metaphor or one of Jesus’ parables.  And if your story is part of a larger worldview it will invite your hearer to enter the story and view life from a new perspective.  And people are infinitely more satisfied when they discover truth for themselves.

Until next time,