Numb to Need

“In reply Jesus said: ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.’” Luke 10:30-32

Jesus used this parable when asked by an expert of the law what he must do to inherit eternal life. The principle was simple in words but difficult in actions: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ By keeping the first part of His answer, it should not be difficult to accomplish the second part. By loving God with everything we are, we love others.

Back in the Old Testament a priest was a person appointed to act on behalf of men and women in relation to God. A Levite was a descendant from the tribe of Levi to whom God gave a place of privilege and responsibility over His chosen people. I am struck by the fact that the priest and Levite chose to not only ignore the need of the wounded but went out of their way to avoid one of their own in need.

There is so much need and sadness in our world today. I cannot think of a single family who has not been touched by cancer. The financial state for which we find ourselves in is at a crisis level. The disease of addiction is at an all time high as people try to escape their own wounds, trials and adversities. Let’s face it – we all feel like the chosen and appointed priest and Levite who should do this and ought to do that. The needs are so great…so numerous…so numbing.

Our society lives in such extremes that it is easy to become numb to the needs of others. We become unmoved by the calamities of many as we are focused on our own injuries that litter our streets. Christ walked the countryside of calamity also as helpless and injured people were constantly pulling on Him, searching for Him and desiring from Him. The beauty of Christ was that on the countryside He saw each injured person. He had compassion on the greatest and the least of those who came to Him for healing. He saw neither status nor privilege but experienced each person as an individual with unique needs.

We are unable to be everything to everyone but through loving the Lord our God first and foremost with every part of our being we can access everything required to assist others in their time of need. Christ did some of His most amazing work when He was weary and wanting to retreat, but He reached into the supernatural strength of His Father and never came up empty. Through our inheritance in Christ we can access this same supernatural strength and supply provision to those in need.

Let’s approach each other with Christ-like vision…vision that really sees people and their suffering…vision that feels and not just sees. Vision that breaks the numbness of our society and triggers compassion in our hearts to act.