Sunday school lessons can be enlightening and yes, can force you to answer important questions about what you believe or should believe if you adhere to what the Good Book says at least as you understand it.  The lessons can also send you on a guilt trip when what it says does not match what you do. Take the Uniform Lesson study we discussed recently in our class about the Good Samaritan.
Bible students know this familiar story (Luke 10:25-34) spoken by Jesus to the lawyer (scribe) who questioned Him on  several points of the rabbinical law asking first concerning eternal life and subsequently  as a follow up to a point raised in the answer about who is one’s neighbor.  Jesus answered him with a story to illustrate the answer.
A traveler was attacked by robbers, stripped of his valuables, beaten and left beside the road for half dead.   But there was hope.  Three men passed by, two were religious leaders and the third a Samaritan who was much despised by many.
The two passing by parties of the theocracy ignored the victim’s pleas but from their point of view, with very good reasons.  Can you not understand how they could have rationalized this problem away? Had they stopped to help, they would have become defiled (unclean) and would have been unable to perform their religious duties. Most readers can relate to their dilemma.
But there is a third party who passes by but instead of making excuses for  ignoring what he saw, he did what was ‘good’ thus the Good Samaritan.
The Bible story goes into some detail to the extreme he went to aid his fellow traveler but of the three, perhaps he had the best reason for being blind to the need.  Because of past history, he was in a group who  was much hated by the majority and looked on  by most as  a  non-person, a ‘half breed’ thus  one to be ignored or worse. So why would he care for the man in the ditch and treat him so extravagantly?  The answer: He was his neighbor.
One lesson to be learned is for us to broaden our outlook about who are our neighbors- and to treat them accordingly.
Now fast forward to 2015.  Many times on my way to Dillon I pass travelers (those walking) ignoring them despite empty seats in my car.  Am I one of the scribes or because of stories I have read about having tragic results by being a Good Samaritan, can I justify my actions by that of self preservation?
What would you do?
Bill Lee, PO Box 128,
Hamer, SC 29547