This morning I read Luke 10 where Jesus tells the story of the man who was robbed on the way to Jericho.  This poor guy didn't do anything to provoke the attack so it certainly couldn't be called "his fault."  Now he's laying there in a dirty ditch all beat up, in pain, and........naked.  He's obviously been beaten pretty badly or I'm thinking he would have been humiliated to be seen like that and would have dragged himself out of the ditch and, at the VERY least, have hidden his nakedness.  It would take quite a whopping to put me into such a state that I would just lie there in the ditch of a very busy highway and let people see me naked.

Now, who should come along on this very public and busy highway but a religious leader.  Oh, I suppose other people happened by......it was a very busy highway.  I doubt very much that the thieves robbed and beat this poor guy to a bloody pulp in broad daylight on a very busy highway and right in front of a religious leader.  So, it stands to reason that people had been walking past this guy and not even checking to see if he was alive.  But the religious leader stopped!!!!  Oh, yes, he did.  He stepped off the very busy highway where he was very busy travelling and went over to the poor, beat up, naked guy in the ditch on a very busy highway.  Are you catching my emphais that this was a very busy highway?  It's important to the story, because LIFE is a very busy highway that we are all travelling down.  So this religious leader stops his life and goes over to check on the man in the ditch who didn't do anything to deserve to be in this situation.  And then he walks off.

What?! Are you kidding me!!!!!  The first person who came over to the scene of the crime walked away without even covering the poor guy up?  This leader knew the Law and what a huge humiliation it was for this man to be exposed like that.  And religious leaders were supposed to be sensitive and devoted to the care of others.  Was it too gorey a mess and he couldn't stomach the guys injuries?  Well, why not call out to others on the road to help him?  Was he embarassed by the guy's nakedness?  Now, that's just silly.  What would be embarassing about helping someone else cover up?  I just don't get it.....I really don't get it.

But then I look at my own life.  Have there been times when someone came into my very busy life and it was glaringly obvious that they needed help, but I just left them to their own defenses?  Have there been times when I encountered someone in a jam that they did not create or deserve but I let somebody else lend a hand?  I have to say yes, I have neglected people.  I have skirted around the visitor at my church who smelled bad and dressed funny.  I've said "I'll pray for you" to get someone to quit "rambling" when they needed a patient listening ear.  Each of us that claim to be followers of Christ should work hard to pay attention to those in need......whatever their need.  I need to step out of my busy life and really give a hand to others who need help, encouragment, support, or just a shoulder to lean on.  I sure don't want to be the one who ends up in a ditch and exposed with all my need just out there for the world to see and have another Christian realize what I need but walk away and leave me. 

Thank You for this picture, Lord.  You were willing to be beaten, naked, and abandoned in Your pain on Calvary for me.  You didn't hold back any part of the process even though You are a King and I am just a sinner.  "Let me see this world, dear Lord, as though I were looking through Your eyes..."