I love the parable of the Good Samaritan.\u00a0 It is one of my favorites.\u00a0 Of course, it is about the traveler who was stripped of clothing, beaten, and left half dead along the side of the road. \u00a0First a priest and then a Levite come by and ignore this injured man along the side of the road.\u00a0 Then, along comes a Samaritan.\u00a0 Now, Samaritans and Jews despised each other back in the day, but the Samaritan helped the injured man by bringing him to an inn, paying the innkeeper to care for him, and then adding that whatever additional costs there may be, he would cover them in full.\u00a0 Jesus then said, \u201cGo and do likewise.\u201d<\/p>\n
OK, I may be a little slow here, but my take on this parable is that, as Christians, we must help others on our journey, as all people are our neighbors.\u00a0 This includes every race, gender, culture, etc.\u00a0 This is part of our role as a Christian.\u00a0 So, along comes Hunter\u2019s book, To Change the World<\/em>\u2026and my confusion increases. \u00a0(Lordy, lordy, it\u2019s not good to increase my confusion in this already confused world, Hunter.\u00a0 Whutchu talkin\u2019bout, Willis?)<\/p>\n I have always lived my life to believe we truly can make a difference in this world.\u00a0 John F. Kennedy said, \u201cOne person can make a difference, and everyone should try.\u201d\u00a0 Mother Teresa said, \u201cIf you cannot feed 100 people, feed 1.\u201d\u00a0 And John 15:13 says, \u201cGreater love has no one than this: to lay down\u2019s one\u2019s life for one\u2019s friends.\u201d\u00a0 This \u2018laying of your life\u2019 may be through sacrifice, as every time we sacrifice for someone else, we give up a part of ourselves to bless that person. \u00a0So, when I read Hunter, I saw this viewpoint of Christianity as a type of idealism<\/em> of transforming the world, which basically means trying to change the hearts and minds of individuals, and in this scenario, it\u2019s through acts of love.\u00a0 \u201cThis account,\u201d says Hunter, \u201cis almost wholly mistaken.\u201d[1]<\/a><\/p>\n Hunter continues: \u201cIt is essential, in my view, to abandon altogether talk of redeeming the culture, advancing the kingdom, building the kingdom, transforming the world, reclaiming the culture, reforming the culture, and changing the world.\u201d[2]<\/a> \u00a0The author then explores that he sees these phrases as conquests.\u00a0 I disagree, as I see these phrases as utilizing the principles of Luke 10:30-37, where Jesus said, \u201cGo and do likewise.\u201d\u00a0 In other words, it is through God\u2019s light shining in us that we can lead others to the glory of God and creates transformation.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven\u201d (Matthew 5:16). \u00a0This is what transformation is all about.\u00a0 It is allowing the secular world to see the good works, which will glorify God.\u00a0 Sometimes, preaching the Word just isn\u2019t enough to reach people.\u00a0 They need to feel the touch of Christ upon them to begin to understand His love.<\/p>\n Hunter noted that by making a certain understanding of the good of society as the objective, the source of the good \u2013 God himself and the intimacy he offers \u2013 becomes nothing more than a tool to be used to \u2018transform the world,\u2019 which the author notes as a negative.\u00a0 Yet, Hebrews 13:16 states: \u201cAnd don\u2019t forget to do good and to share with those in need.\u00a0 These are sacrifices that please God.\u201d\u00a0 I\u2019m not seeing the \u2018tool\u2019 as a problem, as I believe our goal is to please God on our journey on earth.<\/p>\n So, I\u2019ll end with this thought from Martin Luther King, Jr.: \u201cThe first question, which the priest and the Levite asked, was: \u2018If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?\u2019\u00a0 But the good Samaritan reversed the question: \u2018If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him<\/strong>?\u2019\u201d\u00a0 Let Christ\u2019s love shine in all we do \u2013 and others will see that glow and feel God\u2019s love through His light that is within us.\u00a0 Then, stand back and watch transformation at its best!<\/p>\n