By Rev. Sharon Campbell Rayment – Special to the Sydenham Current
Jesus’ message was that God’s love was radically inclusive.
Jesus knew that if we define “neighbour” only as those who are similar to us, people who are part of our own religious community, then we will never stretch ourselves to love beyond those whom it is natural to love.
Jesus wants us to stretch our definition of neighbour and include outcasts, those who look and act differently than we do, ones who society deems as hopeless.
In the story of the Good Samaritan, when the religious leaders came upon an injured man, they followed the religious rules rather than helping him.
When the foreigner, the Samaritan, came upon the injured man he immediately helped him. He even got the wounded man a spot where he could rest and paid for several days of his stay there.
This outcast, this foreigner, took it upon himself to help the wounded man at his own peril. What if the robbers were still around?
He would have also had to reschedule his whole day and pay a handsome sum for the man to stay at the Inn where he could recover.
Yet he stepped up to help the man. An act of courage, compassion, and love.
To have helped this man would have shown great courage. Courage is different than bravery. When you are fearless in the face of danger, we say you are brave.
Yet courage is acting, even though we feel the fear. It is a quality of character and is motivated by concern, compassion, and love.
Courage to reach out to those in need takes heart. The root word of courage is cor, the Latin word for heart. Courage is heartfelt action regardless of the fear. When we are courageous, we move forward based on faith over fear. (Hebrews 11:11)
To follow The Way of the Teacher Jesus means living with unlimited forgiveness, radical acceptance, radiating peace, love, and understanding to all.
As Moses told Joshua, knowing Joshua would lead the people into the promised land, “Be courageous and strong. … for God goes with you, God will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Until next time many blessings, Rev. Sharon
