Spunky Little Irishman

I was walking through the streets of Dundee, Scotland one day, on my way to a Bible Study with a spunky Irishman named Arthur, when I realized that I was walking alone in one of the most dangerous parts of the city. Even though I stood out because I was an American I calmed myself because it was the middle of the day and surly bad things only happen at night right? I looked down a street as I trudged onward and saw a guy walking a few blocks away. It was at this point that I saw a mob of guys come out of the alley and beat him with bats, take his wallet and leave him for dead. I hurried my pace fearing for my life and eventually made it safely to my Bible Study with Arthur.

Studies with Arthur were always interesting. When I walked in he could tell I was troubled and asked if everything was ok. I simply told him I had a headache to which he offered me a beer. Like I said…meetings with Arthur were always interesting. We always studied what he wanted to study and this particular day he wanted to read Luke 10:25-37…The Parable of the Good Samaritan. I started to feel sick as we read through it in our group. My mind was racing. What could I have done for that guy? I even justified to myself while I walked on that I was late for a Bible Study with a spunky Irishman named Arthur. I’m thousands of miles away from my family. What if they jumped me and I died? I’ve got a long life to live. I just walked on hoping to make it to Arthurs soon.

This ate at me all day and still brings me to tears. For the first time in my life, one of Jesus’ parables played out in a very real way and I failed miserably. I remember hearing these stories in youth group and being asked which character I would be. I would always answer the correct answer because that is what an “expert in the law” does.

When Jesus said the things that He said, did He really mean them? The expert in the law in this passage answered Jesus correctly but did he walk away thinking, “I don’t think Jesus really meant that.” Jesus calls us to be the Samaritan who cared. He calls us to be the Prostitute who washes his feet. He calls us to pick up our cross and follow Him. He doesn’t really mean to make us uncomfortable does He? Does He really want our lives to be in danger in order to show Him in very real ways to the people of this world? God spoke to me through a spunky little Irishman named Arthur that day…and I think He said, “Yes!”