Thursday, May 9, 2013

My Favorite Parable

This week is all about Good Samaritans.

Have you ever met one? Sure, I know lots of people that sometimes are.

The story of the Good Samaritan is my favorite parable. I love the simplicity. You know the story right? To paraphrase, for anyone not familiar; It's about a man who is beaten, stripped, robbed and left for dead on the side of the road. Then how some people, some religious people, walk past him and do not help for various reasons. Then this Good Samaritan (think pagan) walks by sees the man and gently takes care of him. He dresses him with clothes off his back, carries him to town on his donkey and then pays an inn keeper to get him a doctor, shelter and feed him and he will come back to check on the man as soon as he can. The story is about how we should not judge others who are different than us as less generous, kind, or worthy than ourselves or those we consider our peers, AND the story reminds us to take a critical look at ourselves and how we treat others.

No matter how many times I hear this story it always stirs up a lot of feelings inside of me. About who I am. Who I want to be. And recently about who I want to raise my son to be.

I enjoy going to church. I enjoy singing His praises and worshiping Him with others. I like feeling like a part of a community who is being called to be better than our human nature sometimes lead us to be. But I hate the phoniness. The self righteousness. The non action. We are called to help those that cannot help themselves and yet the church is one of the first to stand up and put their fat judgemental foot on the necks of those that need the most love.

I'm often torn between my faith and the things my church does. *That's why I haven't been in years.

I want to share my faith with Animal. I want him to have strong roots and a community to turn to, when he turns away from me, as all adolescents do. However, more important to me, is that he be a Good Samaritan.

The Hubby is lots of things, but one of the things he is, is a truly kind hearted person. I expect that just like me, Animal will see his daddy be a Good Samaritan, randomly, quietly, without fanfare. And he will learn from that.

Have you ever been one? Sometimes, I too have been. Hopefully, most of the times the opportunity presented itself, and sometimes I sought out the opportunities.

But I have this thing. I always wanted to be the kind of person that let all societal ties fall away and give myself to a greater good. Obviously, I never did.

Probably never will.

So I will never feel like a Good Samaritan. Not really. Maybe you think that's horseshit, but it's my truth. You'll never convince me otherwise.

I read a book once,











that's the kind of person I want to be. Maybe in another life.


Today's post is brought to you
by the letter 'H'

19 comments:

  1. Whoa whoa wait. That story's in the BIBLE? The same one the WBC reads? I think the pages got stuck together or something; they clearly never got the memo about being nice and not judging.

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    1. I can understand your confusion :( it confuses me too.

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  2. I've been a good samaritan a few times in my life. Of course, I consider moms to be good samaritans in a way, because we do so much for other people! ;-)

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    1. I like how you think, because I think as moms we don't just think and do for our families, I think most moms try (and do) for others as well.

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  3. I love this story as well - but the day I learned that those from (ancient) Samaria were looked down upon as "less than us" as "undesirables" the story took on a whole new meaning to me. I was in high school - the hot bed of looking down on others you deem not worthy of your attention - and it was then that I learned to look a little deeper at people and "judge" them for their actions rather than the group they belonged to.

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    1. What a great time in your life to become familiarwith this story. I don't think that was explained until conformation (I was 20) that was also when it took a special meaning for me. The only parable I like more is The Widows Mite (the insomniacs post reminded me of that one today).

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  4. I never see how the term came to be- thanks for sharing! Glad your hubby is so sweet :)

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    1. I'm glad I'm included the story then :) He is sweet, but it isn't just sweetness. I've seen him give a car away. blankets, cash, rides, food, water, just very quietly. I love that.

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  5. Love your comment about church...it sums up my own frustrations with my church.

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  6. Really enjoyed your post. I like you,I love this story. Jesus, in my view of the story, was breaking down barriers between people who had long harbored resentment and even hatred toward one another. This story is a beautiful example of how we should act. We should not judge others, we should show love, we should do what we can as best we can, when we are given the opportunity. God does not judge me on my merit, he does not see the color of my skin, he has no favorite "denomination", he looks at the heart. We should see the heart in others, we should look to our own hearts and let that lead the loving actions of our lives.

    Sorry, gettin' off the soapbox now...

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    1. Are you kidding, I wrote my whole post on a soap box! ;)

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  7. I think Jesus' teachings can be such a beautiful thing, its a shame that it becomes so sullied and lost in translation. This story in particular would have caused so much turmoil as Jesus shared it with his audience. I think you are on the right path and you/husband definitely have baby on the right path. Maybe one day you will find a church that is not so hypocritical.

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    1. ManI "knew" this story since I was a kid, but I didn't know until I was like 20. And it made me so mad. When we tell it to Animal, it's gonna be (in age appropriate language) the real story, not that the hubby would tell it any other way. He grew up with the unedited version...

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  8. My gosh, I love this post. I feel this way all the time--and although I go to church weekly, I have many of the same thoughts. I think it's always going to be a journey for all of us, and we just have to stick with it and stick with God and we may not figure it all out, but at least we'll be trying to get closer to Him. (How do you always bring out the "churchy" in me? I'm supposed to be a trashy skank, DAMMIT!) And you HAVE been a good Samaritan. Yes, it's way different than the parable, but I tell you what--when you grabbed my blog button and I noticed it one day when I was visiting your blog, it made my WEEK!! (Okay, month...) (Okay, it's STILL making my months...) Seriously, made me feel so good!

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    1. First, I have a feeling a decent percentage of church goers feel this way. But, not going sucks too. We just get drowned out by the nuts.

      Second, Awww, thank you! I'm not trying to blow your cover, I swear, as far as everyone know's you ARE a trashy skank! I would never say differently.

      Last, HAHAHA when you put it that way, I'm tempted to feel like a Good Sam. But I can't cuz every
      time you comment something nice I'm in disbelieve you even still read anything I post. (and it makes MY head get so big the hubby threatens to put a thumb tac to it) I better stop gushing, or someone might be tempted to get us a room ;p

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  9. I am so in love with this post. I am sure that one day, when your time comes, you will be the opportunity to stand for the greater good; meanwhile pray to God to give you the strength to do so when opportunity comes knocking.

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    1. And I am in love with this response. You're right. I'm not dead, the chance could be in my future and I will need God's strength to to answer the call. Thank you :)

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  10. Leave it to a Pagan to be kind. Just saying.

    -The Insomniacs Dream

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