Luke 10:33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.
Two weeks ago, my mom and I brought three tiny kittens home from my uncle’s farm. They had been abandoned by their mother and were in poor health. I made a home for them in our family room, bottle fed them, bathed away their fleas, and took them to our vet. At about two weeks old, they were in rough shape. Sadly, in spite of our best efforts, one by one they passed. We loved on those little creatures and cried each time we lost one.
During the two weeks that we loved on them, I felt like a new mama again, including late nights in the rocking chair bottle feeding them. This solitude got me to thinking, reflecting, and praying. The above referenced scripture was remarkable to Jesus’ audience because it was a Samaritan who came to the aid of the robbery and assault victim. As we know, Samaritans were looked down upon and ostracized by the surrounding cultures of their time. Yet, it was the Samaritan who nursed the injured man to health. Ethnicity was inconsequential to the Samaritan!
As I sat holding and bottle feeding these tiny kittens who fit into the palm of my hand, I pondered on how life is so random with people and animals. None of us asks to be born into the circumstances in which we find ourselves. Just like a barn cat is born into a harsh life, so it is that some of us are born into extreme poverty or a country at war. We don’t get to pick our birth circumstances. I can’t even begin to imagine the challenges posed to mothers of babies born in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, Haiti … and the list goes on.
We are truly called to love ALL! The point in the story Jesus told, referenced above, is that our neighbor is everyone. Race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity – it doesn’t matter. As Christians, we don’t get to pick and choose who we love. We are called to love and minister to all.
Who can you love on this week? Who can I?
Blessings,
Diana Kongkeattikul
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