Written by RAHAB’s Director of Operations, Rebecca Kahle
The Parable of the Good Samaritan opens with a man, alone and beaten, on the side of the road. A victim of a violent crime. Left with nothing and barely clinging to life.
Jesus has been challenged on His command to love our neighbor, and He answers with this story. As the priest in the parable comes up to the man – he keeps walking. More than that, Scripture tells us “…when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.” (Luke 10:31). Not only does the Priest not stop to care for the man, he gets as far away from him as he can. Anything to not be interrupted by this dirty and desperate human.
Second in line is a Levite. But once again Scripture tells us, as he sees the man, he passes by him on the other side. Once again, passing him was not enough. Both the priest and the Levite avoided even walking beside the man.
How do we respond?
Before judging the Levite or the Priest, I find myself reflecting on the times I have turned my head to avoid a person standing on the side of the road. Worse yet, I am most guilty of this when I am busy – especially during the holiday season. If something out of the ordinary is happening, I am more inclined to pass by on the other side than I am to stop and care for it.
For that reason, I am always struck by the number of times Jesus demonstrates perfect love in the context of interruption. For the woman who lunges for the hem of his robe, to the man being lowered through the ceiling, Jesus is never too busy to see the person in need on His path.
“But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was and when he saw him, he had compassion.” (Luke 10:33).
Jesus tells us clearly – love is an action. The Samaritan man takes the time, amid his journey, to see the injured and broken man on the side of the road. He goes to him, binding his wounds and taking him to an inn for care. Not only does the Samaritan see the man, he stops to love him as Jesus would.
In scripture, love is not a feeling. Love is a pursuit of the broken and hurting people in our world and a decision to minister to them no matter how inconvenient for our pre-made plans or comfort zone. There is not one recorded instance in the Bible of Jesus coming upon a hurting person and not taking time and care to tend to their needs. He always stops for them.
At RAHAB, we get to live out love as action every single day. Whether we are welcoming the women into the Drop-In Homes, or we are walking the streets in search of the person alone and beaten, we desire to be an image bearer of Jesus. One who stops and tends to the person in front of us.
When a woman comes to RAHAB, no matter how inconvenient the timing, we pause for her. We sit with her, talk to her, share a meal with her, and give her a hug before we drop her off to safety. Her own proverbial inn for care and tending. It takes hours, and it may mean that we miss every meeting on the schedule that day, but there is no greater task than to follow His command.
We do this every day at RAHAB. Love is the work we are doing every time we pursue, hug, feed, and sit with the broken and beaten women and youth who have fallen victim to sex trafficking. Our staff and volunteers go out looking for them and welcome the interruptions as they come. We are never too busy to do the work of Jesus – to love His daughters.
And love is a beautiful work.
I am convinced that distraction and busyness are tools the enemy uses to deter from the work of God. There is no busier time than the holiday season, but there is also no better time to slow down and love the hurting people right in front of you. This is when they need it the most.
So, as you go about your holiday season, will you pray for eyes that see the people Jesus is asking you to? Maybe he’ll show up to your Christmas Eve church service this year, with the wrong clothes on and no idea when to stand or sit down. Or maybe, on your way rushing into the store for the last pieces of your Christmas meal, you’ll pass her with an open hand and a cardboard sign.
When you see them, will you pause and love them the way the Good Samaritan does for the man on the side of the road? Will you sit with them, welcome them, offer them a warm meal, and tell them about Jesus?
Then, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:40).
To love is the command we are given as Christ followers and it’s my prayer that this Christmas season we all participate in being the hands and feet of Jesus to those around us – no matter how inconvenient.