Happy New Year 2017

2017.  A brand new year.  2016 is now history.  To be honest, I am glad 2016 is gone.  It certainly felt like a year full of hate and anger.  It seemed as if everyone was either hating or accusing someone of hating, or both.  I pray that 2017 isn’t like that.  In my gut, I am afraid 2017 won’t be much different. But in my heart I believe there is a way to make it a much less hateful year.

Most people have heard the New Testament story of the Good Samaritan.  On the surface, it’s the story of someone helping a stranger.  But it’s deeper than that.  And it’s the deeper meaning that is the key to a better year, if only we’ll try to live by it.

In Luke, chapter 10, an expert in Hebrew law is trying to test Jesus by questioning him.  Jesus answers his question with a question.  The expert “…answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’, and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”(Luke 10:27 NIV)  The expert, still trying to test Jesus, then asks, “…And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29 NIV) Jesus responds with the parable of the Good Samaritan.

 

In the parable, a man was robbed, beaten, and left for dead.  A priest and a Levite both ignored him.  These were Jewish religious leaders, the good guys.  People who should have stopped to help but didn’t.  So why didn’t they?  One can only speculate but I imagine that their reasons would sound familiar.  “I didn’t want to get involved.” “I was afraid.” Or, “I was in a hurry.”  However, a Samaritan did stop.  Not only did he stop to help, but he took care of him and arranged and paid for additional care for the man.

Samaritans and Jews were taught by their respective leaders to avoid each other and to not even speak to each other.  The Jewish historian, Josephus, writes that through much of the first century there were numerous violent conflicts between Jews and Samaritans.  They were, in other words, political and religious enemies.  So why did the Samaritan stop?

Perhaps he looked beyond the race or religion.  Maybe he ignored the injured man’s politics and simply focused on the fact that man was in need.  Regardless, the one least likely to help a Jew was the only one who did.

So in this New Year, we should all resolve to love our neighbor in spite of their color, creed, political or religious beliefs.  We can show our love by helping those in need, obviously.  But we can also show our love by not attacking our neighbors for holding a different viewpoint, different belief, or different political affiliation.  If, in 2017 we truly love our neighbors as our self, not just the ones who speak like us, look like us, or share our same opinions, maybe it will be a better year than 2016.

Happy New Year!