The Church by Side of the Road

[Dan Haas]

All is lost when love is lost. Nothing else really matters. To love is the First and Great Commandment, and it is the Second. That's why it's “like unto” the First. When the religious leader to whom Jesus was explaining these things asked, “and who is my neighbor?”, he was further testing Jesus' understanding of good and evil.Then, as you know, Jesus told him a story of a man who “fell among thieves,” was beaten, and left for dead by the wayside. Several people who saw him there crossed to the other side and continued on their ways, and in Jesus' story, they were all religious men, of the religion that worshiped the True God. Then a Samaritan came by.... you remember the rest.Remember the encounter between Jesus and a Samaritan woman? One of the things he told her was, “Ye (Samaritans) worship ye know not what.” And yet he used a Samaritan as an example of one who was “neighbor to him who fell among thieves.” In modern times he might have used “Muslim” or “Unitarian Universalist.” (And “Corps grad” as one who passed by, possibly?) It's a marvelous record, isn't it? It wasn't so important that one worshiped accurately, if one didn't do the right thing, as things came up in life's journey. And of course, “love” is the right thing. You can't go wrong if you're loving.Paul writes of Gentiles who did “by nature the things contained in the Law,” and implied that these put to shame certain Jews who thought that they were teachers of that Law. What things contained in the Law were these Gentiles doing? Well if all the Law and the Prophets hang on Love1 and Love2, it must have been loving things that they were doing. Likewise today, many non-Christians put to shame those of us who claim Christ as our Lord, but do not the things which he said.Part of the new covenant, foreseen and foretold by Jeremiah, was that God would write his law upon their hearts, and that they would know him. Paul affirms this in what we call the first century, when he wrote to the Corinthians that they were living epistles of Christ, upon whose hearts living God had written with his spirit. Who were these people about whom Jeremiah prophesied, that they would be unto God a people, and he their God? They were people who loved. Jesus said that that is how one would be able to tell who his disciples were. They loved. And who are these people today?One definition of love which is given in the scriptures (“Herein is love”) is that “he laid down his life for us,” speaking of Jesus, of course. It's in 1John3. Jesus is contrasted with Cain, who took his brother's life. And in that context, John writes that he who does not love his brother is a murderer. An extreme statement, but upon reflection, exceedingly true. Say you steal from someone. You're taking their “life.” They spent part of their life earning their wage (after taxes) to purchase whatever you stole. You were a life-taker, just like Cain. Not loving. Now it is a matter of degree. Stealing is taking another's life "in part."But “we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers (for others).” That's what the Samaritan did for the man left for dead. He took him to the emergency room, paid them, and promised to pay whatever else might be needed for his care. He was a life-giver, and the life he gave was his own. And when we give of our lives, unless we literally step in front of a bus to save someone, or something like that, we give "in part." God promises that we will reap what we sow, both in kind and measure, multiplied.The religious people who passed on the other side of the road may have been on their way to prayer, or worship, or Torah school. Today we might say they were possibly on their way “to church.” Little did they know that “church” was being held on the side of the road, that day, and they missed it. And as much as they did not do it unto that man, they did it not to God. How can they say that they loved God, whom they had not seen?

[Lonnell Johnson]

Dan,

I had just left a comment on your page, and I was getting ready to “ease on down the road,” when I spied your blog “The Church by the Side of the Road” which I had intended to give a cursory glance over before being about my own “bidness.” As I read, I was drawn in by your engaging manner, as always, and by your penetrating wit and insight, as you offered a fresh look at love in light of the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Your sidebar comment regarding those who passed by on the road with the reference to a “Corps Grad” was absolutely priceless. Yes, I show-nuff laughed out loud on that one! Touche. You have a way with words and with the Word, my Good Brother.

I see you are still mining the depths of I John and unearthing all kinds of nuggets. I recall the CD that you made for me with a sampling of a great array of music which turned out to be some of our mutual favorites along with a reading of the entire book of I John. In your blog, was particularly struck by this description of the Samaritan:

“But “we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers (for others).” That's what the Samaritan did for the man left for dead. He took him to the emergency room, paid them, and promised to pay whatever else might be needed for his care. He was a life-giver, and the life he gave was his own. And when we give of our lives, unless we literally step in front of a bus to save someone, or something like that, we give "in part." God promises that we will reap what we sow, both in kind and measure, multiplied.”

Your comment brought to mind a statement that I often make when describing “winners” and “losers” in terms of giving: “Whenever you give, you cannot lose. Whenever you refuse to give, you cannot win.” Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts regarding a section of the Word of God that obviously means a great deal to you.

In closing I want to share a poem that came to mind when I read the title of your blog. The poem is one of those vintage pieces that I made reference to in my comments which brought me to your page in the first place. The title is “The House by the Side of the Road.” Initially I thought it doesn’t quite fit, but then again I realized that that a “church” is actually a “house”, the house of God. Individually, this idea is expressed 2 Corinthians 5:1: “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” Corporately, the Church, as the Body of Christ, is comprised of “individual houses” or “tabernacles” which make up “the Temple of the living God.” So I do see the application of the poem to your blog. I trust this will be a blessing to you as well.

Lonnell

The House by the Side of the Road

THERE are hermit souls that live withdrawn
In the place of their self-content;
There are souls like stars, that dwell apart,
In a fellowless firmament;
There are pioneer souls that blaze the paths
Where highways never ran-
But let me live by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

Let me live in a house by the side of the road
Where the race of men go by-
The men who are good and the men who are bad,
As good and as bad as I.
I would not sit in the scorner's seat
Nor hurl the cynic's ban-
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

I see from my house by the side of the road
By the side of the highway of life,
The men who press with the ardor of hope,
The men who are faint with the strife,
But I turn not away from their smiles and tears,
Both parts of an infinite plan-
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

I know there are brook-gladdened meadows ahead,
And mountains of wearisome height;
That the road passes on through the long afternoon
And stretches away to the night.
And still I rejoice when the travelers rejoice
And weep with the strangers that moan,
Nor live in my house by the side of the road
Like a man who dwells alone.

Let me live in my house by the side of the road,
Where the race of men go by-
They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,
Wise, foolish - so am I.
Then why should I sit in the scorner's seat,
Or hurl the cynic's ban?
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.


Sam Walter Foss

[John and Janet Ruiz]

Hello Mr. Dan SWEET stuff, there. Thanks, I enjoyed reading that.

Janet and I were talking about this very topic and that record in particular this morning. Last couple mornings in fact, on our commute into work. Windshield time is a great time to chat. I was thinking of blogging a blog of my own, and probably will, but wanted to pass a couple thoughts on in response to yours, if I may.

Jesus really does set a gold standard in that response. In those two "commandments' we have the fundamentals of all "Christian" theology, religion and morality. I can find direction in life, life's purpose, within those two simple statements - love God, love others. The question "but who then is my neighbor" is classic - and Jesus gave the parable that answered it, but in light of the two commandments.

The answer was "be the neighbor that loves", not "find the right neighbor". The direction is in what to do, less on who to do it for.

If I act selectively, love this one but not another, today, not tomorrow, at this time in this way and not at that time or that way - I haven't loved as I would myself, and certainly not as God would be loved - with all my heart, mind, body, all the time.

When is it right to love and put God first? The second commandment is realized the same way.