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“Love your neighbor as yourself,” the Lord said to the people. They all agreed that this was good advice.

That Sunday they journeyed to church to sing praise music, greet friends, put their tithes in the offering plates, nod their heads during the sermon, and wait for God to shower them with blessings.

In that town lived a woman who had fallen into the pit of despair. Her cries could barely be heard as the people passed by.

A church leader happened to be going down that road, and when he heard her cries for help, he passed by on the other side. He didn’t have to look at her to know that she was merely trying to dupe him into helping her; she could certainly help herself.

A faithful member of the congregation also passed down that road, and upon hearing the woman’s faint cries, went to have a look. That poor woman had clearly brought her troubles on herself; she did not deserve a helping hand. That faithful member, too, passed by on the other side, eager to experience the fellowship at church.

A certain Sunday school teacher heard those cries for help and went to the edge of the pit. Looking down on the woman’s dirty, tired face, the teacher said, “I’m on my way to church, and therefore I can’t soil my hands by pulling you out of there. I may drop off a casserole sometime.”

Finally, after many had looked and judged her undeserving of help, a new Christian came along, saw the woman, and took pity on her. It took some work to pull her out of the pit, but the new Christian did it gladly, eager to share with her the love and mercy of the Lord that he himself had recently experienced. The poor woman’s needs were met, and the new Christian experienced the showers of blessings that the other travelers missed.

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The story of the Good Samaritan is a classic, and yet many religious people today live as if the good neighbor rule had been changed. The spirit of cynicism is thriving. It’s convenient to simply dismiss the needy as lazy, lying, cheating scoundrels trying to separate you from your hard-earned cash. Believing such a thing means you suffer no guilt for doing nothing. There is an obvious lack of compassion involved in judging between who deserves assistance and who does not. This behavior reveals how callous and hardhearted many Christians have become toward the poor. Does anyone stop to think how unlikely such an attitude is to lead anyone to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ?

I found a thread on a religious chat board that dealt with the question, “How much help should I be expected to give?” It seems that a church was having a children’s program in a trailer park, and one of the mothers who lived there was becoming interested in the Lord and had asked for help with her power bill. The woman to whom she mentioned her need had tried to contact her pastor, but wasn’t sure she should do anything more. I posted, "What Would Jesus Do?" The responses were incredible! According to many posts, Jesus would not be the good Samaritan when it came to trailer park dwellers. He would suspect them of being lazy. Rather than showing them mercy and grace, He would let them "sleep in the bed they had made." He would look each character over and ignore the really bad sinners. The response the poor woman eventually received was, “we don’t do bills, but maybe we’ll give a meal later on.”

She was judged and found undeserving by people who had never even met her, by Christians who neither knew nor cared why she couldn’t pay the bill.

Turn in your Bible to Luke 10:25 - 38. You’ll not find one shred of evidence to suggest that the good Samaritan probed the situation first to see whether the injured traveler was wise or foolish, of good or bad character, or had done something to deserve being beaten. He did not ask questions. He simply met the stranger’s needs. He tended to his wounds himself, he let the man ride the donkey while he himself walked, he found a place for the injured man to stay, and he took care of him there. When the Samaritan had to leave, he paid for the man’s care, promised to return, and promised to pay any additional expenses. That’s a whole lot of help! And what did Jesus say about that? That we should do likewise!

Self-righteous Christians come up with some amazing reasons for not lending assistance to other Christians, as well. For instance, a young mother, separated from her husband, didn’t have enough food for her children. This dear Christian woman received help from only two people, both of whom were in the process of filing for bankruptcy! Of those two families, one was not Christian, and yet they had compassion and helped her. There were people in her church who told her that they could not offer assistance to her and her children, because that might hinder her husband from owning up to his responsibility! When her water was turned off and she couldn’t bathe, none of the Christians she knew offered her the use of a bathroom. It was a co-worker who didn’t even believe in God who came to her aid. Now what does that say about the state of grace among Christians?

When my husband and I became foster parents, some Christian friends said that they would never take in a foster child, because that would be helping people (the birth parents) who needed to learn to shoulder their own responsibilities! Just what should we do with all those helpless little ones, then? Stuff them in a closet? Is that what Jesus would do?

Here’s another thought: In both the Old and New Testaments, God says, "If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In so doing you will heap coals of fire upon his head ... overcome evil with good." To me that says that you should help even the ones you think may be faking it. Judge not, lest you be judged. I truly believe that God will bless you for your efforts.

Matthew 25:31-46 tells of the coming time when Jesus will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Both groups will ask, “Lord, when did we see you hungry ... or thirsty.... as a stranger... or needing clothes...? When did we see you sick or in prison ...?” And Jesus tells those that truly followed him, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” And to the others He will say, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.” Friends, I don’t think it pays to be choosy! The way I see it, good or bad, if any person is in need and you can help, you should do so. Don’t try to determine whether or not they deserve your help. Remember, sometimes we are entertaining angels unaware. To say it plainly, “Help ‘em all! Let God sort ‘em out!”

Do you lean more toward grace and want to help those in need, or do you lean more toward judgment and think they have reaped what they have sown? Is God pleased with your response? Examine your heart. Do a topical Bible study on compassion, grace and mercy. The next time you hear of a need, listen for God’s voice, and see what He would have you do.

Copyright 2002 by Brenda B. Covert