A Guy in a Ditch

The story of the Good Samaritan probably only rivals the Prodigal Son as the most well-known story from the teachings of Jesus. But I must admit I groaned when I saw it come up on the cycle of readings I was using for reflection. I have heard countless homilies on the Good Samaritan. What new could I possibly find?

I know this is one of the central teachings of Jesus. I understand my responsibility as a Christian to not walk by those in need. I also know that I can sometimes pass judgment on others in my arrogance. The Samaritan considered the least and lowest, teaches us how to be neighbors to one another. 

This story is a vital step that leads us to Jesus’ final command, “Love one another as I have loved you.” Jesus was stretching our minds and, more importantly, our hearts to see beyond the law of the Commandments in the Hebrew Scriptures.

I wonder what new insight God was giving me into this story. I couldn’t help but think there must be one. 

As I read and reread the story, I used the process of Lectio Divina. I kept returning to the guy beaten up by robbers and left in the ditch. In a sense, he is a bit player in the story. Yet he was luring me in to show me his world.

I have sometimes been the Priest and the Levite who walked by the needy man. And by the grace of God, I have also been the Good Samaritan. But for the first time, I recognized myself as the guy in the ditch. I was the one lying on the side of the road needing help. Maybe not physically beaten by robbers but psychologically scarred by my history, overwhelmed with the events of my life, and feeling bereft, beaten, and broken by circumstance. I was that guy. I was the one in need of help. 

I once heard a modern telling of this story that briefly went like this. A guy was walking along and fell into a hole. He started calling out for someone to help him get out. People were frightened by the situation. They didn’t know what to do, so they went by. Finally, a friend came by, and the man called, “Hey Joe, can you help me get out of this hole. Joe seeing his friend and wanting to help jumps into the hole after him. The guy says, “What are you stupid? Now we are both in this hole.” But Joe replies, “Yes, but I have been down here before, and I know the way out.”

So often in our world, it’s not people beaten by robbers who need our help. It is people who are abused and broken by life. A spouse of many years has been lost to death or is suffering the long goodbye of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease with one they love. We come across those battered by unrelenting mental illness and depression. We see the frazzled young mother with 3 active children trying to buy groceries and counting her pennies to pay the bill. We encounter those who battle their demons of unworthiness, addiction, and loneliness daily. And, sometimes, we are those people ourselves. Unfortunately, none of us are immune to life’s tragedies. When I recognize myself as one among, not one above, those who suffer, it changes my perspective and response.

Maybe it isn’t apathy that makes people walk by. Perhaps it is fear. They don’t know what to do. It could be terror because they have been the ones beaten by life, and they don’t ever want to walk that way again. Sometimes someone jumps in the hole with us, takes our hand, and lovingly shows us the way out.

Jesus calls us to put away our fear and allow Him to help ease our personal traumas so that we might dare to help our friends, neighbors, and strangers get out of the ditch that life drops them in. 

It may be as simple as crying with someone who hurts or handing the lady in the check out in front of us a $20 bill, so she doesn’t have to count pennies. Maybe it is a cup of coffee and a sandwich for the homeless guy sitting in front of McDonald’s or being there when we know a friend is suffering. We don’t have to have answers. We just need to be present.

Yes, I admit it. I have walked by, and so have you, seldom out of disregard but often out of fear and paralysis. 

It’s time to challenge ourselves with friends and strangers. When we see them hurting, beaten, and broken by life, even if we can’t fix the problem, we can jump in the hole, hold their hand, and cry with them. That at least will help salve the wounds of their heart. And they will know they are not alone.

In God’s Endless love,

Gwen