Breaking News Jerusalem.
 
Just into the studio news desk: a man was robbed by thieves on the road to Jericho early this morning. Three fellow travelers saw the brutally beaten, stripped-naked man bleeding to death on the roadside. Eye-witnesses report that after two religious leaders ignored him, a Samaritan stopped to assist, caring for the man’s needs from his personal resources.
 
Who was this man who some are calling the “good” Samaritan? Onlookers were overheard asking “Why would he put his life in danger, stopping to care for a total stranger.” Tune in to the 6 o’clock evening news for more details about this unusual, fascinating story.
 
This fictitious news bulletin is a teaching found in the Bible. Jesus shared the story of the Good Samaritan to teach you and me about neighbors and compassion.
 
The scenario is set-up in Luke 10:25-29. A lawyer, familiar with Jewish religious customs and commandments, stood up to test Jesus. A work-your-way-to-heaven kind of guy, he inquired of the Lord what he must do to inherit eternal life.
 
Jesus turned the tables on the lawyer by asking him how do you read the Law?  How would you answer sir? (Verse 26). The legalistic lawyer fired back “love God with all your being and love your neighbor as yourself” (Verse 27) (Deuteronomy 6:5).
 
Good job Mr. Lawyer! Jesus commended him for answering correctly. Then Jesus exhorted him “Do this, and you will live.” (Verse 28). But that did not set well with the lawyer. Come on Jesus, is that all I must do? Are you sure that is enough? And who is my neighbor? (Verse 29).
 

• In verses 30-37, Jesus answered who our neighbor is, and how we should treat them as their neighbor.  

           
Seeing the distressed man, a priest and a Levite passed by on the other side of the road, abandoning the dying man in a ditch. Shame, shame on the “holy” men. 
 
A man from Samaria, who was racially ostracized by the Jewish people, stopped to render aid.
 
“But a certain Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him, and when he saw him, he felt compassion.” Luke 10:33
 
The Samaritan did four things
 
First, the Good Samaritan CAME upon the man. The Samaritan was traveling. Following his itinerary. Doing his thing, minding his own business. Then life happened. Right in front of him. A hurting man crossed his path.
 
·      Our life journey will cross paths with hurting people.
 
Second, the Good Samaritan SAW the man. His eyes were not blind to the hurting man’s dilemma. He looked toward the man, not away from him. He saw more than a bleeding man…he saw a fellow, helpless human being who needed someone to help him. 
 
·      Unselfish, wide open eyes see needy neighbors who need assistance.
 
Third, the Good Samaritan FELT for the man. Seeing the hurting man, he felt compassion. His heart hurt for his needy neighbor on the roadside. He could not look away like the religious leaders did. His compassionate heart beat with empathy. Mercy prompted him to reach out to the hurting, helpless man   
 
·      Love, mercy and compassion pave the way for helping hurting neighbors.   
 
Fourth, the Good Samaritan CARED for the man. Compassion led to action. He rushed to the man’s side, pouring oil and wine, and bandaging his wounds. He put him on “his own beast”, transporting him to the safety and comfort of a hotel. He arranged for the care of the man, whatever he needed, paying the bill in full upon his return trip.  
 
·      Neighbors in need respond to actual deeds, not mere words of compassion.
 
Way to go Good Samaritan! You got personally involved. You didn’t look the other way or walk by on the other side of the road. You rolled up your sleeves, touching and ministering, from your own resources, to the terrified, vulnerable, mercilessly battered dying man.
 
Your compassionate action was radically gracious, generous, and lifesaving. Without regard to your own safety, you reached out to save a neighbor who could not save himself.
 
Now for the rest of the story. Jesus asked the lawyer in verse 36 “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robber’s hands?” The lawyer had the right answer once again: “The one who showed mercy” (Verse 37).  Jesus’ response “Go and do the same.”
 
End of story…or was it the beginning for the lawyer. As he walked away, I wonder if he went out and became a Good Samaritan. Don’t really know. But what about you and me who confess to be Christians? Are we willing to “Go and do the same?”
 
OUR NEIGHBOR IS ANYONE IN NEED. You and I prove to be neighbors to hurting people when we reach out with Christ’s compassion to meet their need. 
 
Comments Concerning Compassion
 

• Compassion is Christ’s response to hurting people.
• Compassion flows from people with compassionate hearts.
• Compassion is a heartfelt feeling followed by helpful activity.
• Compassion paves the way for ministry to hurting people.
• A compassionate touch softens life’s hard blows.
• Compassionate ministry stirs hope in hopeless hearts.  
• Often, compassion is caught rather than taught.  
• Compassion cannot be packaged or bought. It is free for all who need it.  
• Christians should be compassionate because Jesus is compassionate.
• If Christians are not compassionate, who in this world will be?

 
My friend, Christian compassion is needed more then ever in our self-centered, cruelly coldhearted, cynical culture.  Multitudes of hurting people (neighbors), left for dead on the roadside of life, cry out for love and compassion from those of us who know the One who “saw the multitudes” and “felt compassion.” (See Matthew 9:36-38).  
 
Needy neighbors will intersect your life and mine.  
 
What will you and I see? How will you and I feel? Most importantly, what will you and I do to help? As Christ’s witnesses and ambassadors, you and I have opportunity every day to show compassion to someone who is hurting.
 
A Word For Your Week: Show Christ-like compassion to a needy neighbor.   

​One of the greatest lies of all times goes like this: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.
 
How amazing it is that mistaken parents actually teach this misguided and false philosophy to their bewildered children who have been taunted by the bruising words of playground bullies. All of us know from painful, personal experience that WORDS CAN HURT.   
 
·      The truth is: Sticks and stones can break bones and words can hurt or heal.
 
 The wisdom writer Solomon has something important to say about our tongues power.
 
 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”   Proverbs 18:2
 
According to our scripture, our tongue (the words we speak) possesses power to bring life and death to our hearers. Both death and life can reside in words. Words are either destructive or constructive. Words beat up or build up. Our words either level people or lift them up in life.
 

• Words can hurt. But WORDS CAN ALSO HEAL!

 
Psalm 107:20 states “For God sent His word and healed them from al their destructions.” God’s Word heals. That being the case, it is important for Christians to speak words that bring life. Proverbs 4:20-22 tells us that God’s words bring “life and health” to living.
 

• The words of God are good words that bring goodness into the lives of people.

 
Child of God: Do you watch your words? Are you careful about what you say and how you say it? What kind of fruit comes out of your mouth? Hurtful or healing words?
 

• God’s people are to speak God’s word.

 
The Apostle Paul gives us clear directions concerning the kind of words Christians should speak.  He writes “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word good for edification, according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those hear.” Ephesians 4:29
 
Born and raised in Washington State, I love Delicious brand apples. Years ago I grabbed a big, bright red, Delicious apple from our fruit bowl, washed it, and sunk my teeth into what I thought would be a juicy, crisp bite of fresh fruit.
 
To my surprise, I bit into a soft, rotten spot deep inside the shiny apple. Yuk! Icky it was to say the least! With a lightning fast reaction, I spit the brown-colored, slimy, goop into the awaiting jaws of the garbage disposal. Then I ran out the back door, tossed the rotten apple into the woods, smashing it on one of the towering oaks bordering our backyard.
 

• Rotten fruit. Good for nothing. Worthless.

 
The phrase Paul uses “unwholesome word” means rotten fruit. The meaning is crystal clear. No rotten fruit is to proceed from the mouth of God’s people. No impurity, profanity, swearing, off-color words, coarse jesting, cursing, filthiness, immoral, hateful, demeaning or character assignation speech. Our society is a cesspool of unwholesome, rotten fruit words.  
 
Instead, Paul tells us what kind of words to say.
 
1. Speak words that BUILD UP. Everyone needs edified (built-up) from time to time. We need to hear words that build and lift us to rise above the challenges of life. The world’s words tear down and destroy self-esteem and self-confidence. Nobody likes being torn down. On the contrary, everybody loves being built up!
 

• Christians words are to build up and make people feel good about God, themselves, others and life.

 
2. Speak words that MEET THE NEED OF THE MOMENT. Speak words that help, not hinder people. When people are wounded by life and perplexed by problems, they need a good word from God. They do not need man’s opinion. Speak words that people need to solve their problems. Words that zero in on the pressing issue. Speak wise words from God’s Word. His Word has the answer for every man’s need. 
 

• Ask God for discernment, wisdom and the right words when reaching out to people in need.

 
3. Speak words THAT MINISTER GRACE. When people are searching, wondering, hurting, or frustrated, they do not need a harsh lecture! Proverbs 15:1 says “A soft answer turns away anger…”      Life can be hard and brutal. GRACE IS THE SOFT TOUCH. Our words need to be full (KJV says “seasoned”) of grace, mercy, comfort and encouragement.
 

• Put a smile on a person’s face by ministering grace to them through your words.

 
PERSONAL EXERCISE: This week, consciously monitor your words. See if they pass Paul’s tests of building up, meeting the need, and ministering grace.
 

• My friend, be careful, not careless with your words.

 
“And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.”    Jesus Christ, Matthew 12:36-37
 
A Word For Your Week: Watch your words… then you will not have to watch over your shoulder.

How do you generally handle low times in life?
 
In our word for this week, Habakkuk shows us how to walk on high places while passing through low times.
 
“Yet I will exult in the Lord, and I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hind’s feet, and makes me walk on my high places.”  Habakkuk 3:18-19
 
 “Yet.”  A simple, three letter word that reveals to us how Habakkuk handled a low time just over the horizon.
 
As God’s prophet, Habakkuk has just received a breaking news bulletin that was nothing but bad news. Soon the nation would be invaded by the barbaric Babylonians. Everything would be lost for a time (verses 16-18).
 
 Habakkuk’s response: Panic? No! PRAISE!! Yes!!! “Yet I will exult in the Lord, and I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.”
 
Exult. Rejoice in the Lord…Habakkuk’s faith response to bad news.
 
Amazing isn’t it?  Knowing ahead of time that disaster was just around the corner, Habakkuk dug in, stood firm in his faith, and met the bad news with words of praise. I do not know about you, but I am glad that God usually spares me from knowing about low times ahead of time. Thank you Lord for lovingkindness, mercy and grace!  
           
Robert Schuler said it well when he remarked “Tough times never last but tough people do.” Spiritually tough, faith-hardened people are unbeatable and undefeatable because they have learned to praise God during tough times.
 
·      God’s prophet made a pre-emptive decision.
 
Habakkuk had great faith during a time when it would be easy and even acceptable to worry, be fearful and even doubt. No matter what happens, no matter how bad it gets, I (Habakkuk) choose to focus my faith on God and rejoice in His holy name. He alone is my strength. He will cause me to walk on high places during these low times.
 
NOTE: “WALK ON MY HIGH PLACES.”  
 
Hind’s feet on high places…walking above trouble by trusting in the living God.
 
I can visualize antelope (hind’s feet) on the side of rugged mountains, confidently and safely making their way to their destination.   
 
What a picture of freedom from frustration, peace during turmoil, and power over pressing problems. How do we get this? By exulting and rejoicing in the God of our salvation.
           
Habakkuk’s faith catapulted him above the fearful fray of invasion and captivity. The prophet already had his response plan in place: PRAISE AND TRUST!!!  People of faith praise God no matter what is happening in their lives.
 
Are you going through a tough time right now? Business stalling? Bank account on fumes? Ministry stagnant? Health declining? Mariage stalling? People bugging you? Depressed? Discouraged? Disappointed? Distracted? Anxious? Fearful? Feeling low?
 
What is your response? How are you handling your low time? Panic or Praise? Do not allow a low time to steal praise from your lips. Rise up and rejoice in the Lord during the trial or trouble.
 
The practice of heartfelt praise and worship takes our focus off us and our problems and places our faith firmly and confidently on Almighty God and His supernatural solutions!
 
Tough times never last but people who put their faith in the Lord do!!!!!!  
 
·      The Lord has “high places” for you just as he had for Habakkuk.
 
My friend, why not turn your valley into a mountaintop by trusting God through praise and worship of His holy name?
 
Never, never, never let a low time in life keep you from praising and trusting in the Lord to turn your down day into an up one! Almighty God specializes in taking the impossible and turning it into possible for those who trust Him.
 
You decide if there is anything too difficult for God. My Bible declares there is nothing too difficult for our Creator and Redeemer!
 
  A Word For Your Week: Low times become high times when we praise the name of the Lord.

​Runaway inflation. Record deficit spending. Insurmountable mountains of local, state, national and personal debt. Taxpayer funded bailouts and handouts.
 
 I have a politically incorrect idea for helping people who genuinely need help that just might turn our sluggish economy around.  
 
·      Instead of handouts, how about a hand up? Instead of receiving, how about giving? It is natural during tough times when we have needs to seek a gift from someone else. But may I suggest something somewhat radical? Something that smacks of the supernatural?
 
·      How about giving? That’s right. GIVE. Are you kidding Steve? Give during an economic downturn? Has our bankrupting national debt buried your common sense? Not at all.
 
·      Giving is not off the wall. Or over the top. It is scriptural.
 
Jesus invites (actually commands) us to give in our verse for this week. It is an invitation with a promise.
 
“Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Luke 6:38
 
The Lord promises that those who give will be given to.
 

• GIVE…AND PEOPLE WILL GIVE TO YOU!

 

• GIVE…AND GOD AND PEOPLE WILL BLESS YOU ABUNDANTLY.

 

• GIVE….AND EXPECT TO RECEIVE ACCORDING TO YOUR GIFT.

 

• GIVE A LITTLE. GET A LITTLE. GIVE A LOT. GET A LOT!

 
Note that Jesus said when we give “it” will be given to us. What is “it”? I believe “it” is what we give. In other words, what we give will be given to us. And “it” will come back to us abundantly. How much return? Whatever “good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap” is. I LIKE THAT!
 

• Now that is an economic stimulus package that I can vote for and live with!

 
While the world is looking for handouts and bailouts, God’s people, who know His Word, should be holding their hands out to give what they have to those in need. Giving is always something we can do whether the economy is up or down.
 
The rubber meets the road when we realize that the more need, we have, the more we need to give. God gives to us so we can give to others. Through giving, God gives back to us. The giving//receiving cycle goes on and on when we choose to give.
 

• Downturns become upturns when we begin giving.

 
 If you currently find yourself in a difficult financial situation and need something, GIVE SOMETHING! Ask God what He would have you to do.
 
Need a good job? Give something to someone who needs a job. Need some groceries? Give some groceries to a family who needs some food. Need your utility bills paid? Pay a utility bill for a struggling single mom? Need your car repaired? Help pay a repair bill for a neighbor less fortunate than you.
 

• Sow a seed. Meet someone’s need.

 
Where are you at my brother or sister in Christ? Are you waiting for someone to give to you? Or are you watching out for opportunities to give to someone? Is your hand out looking for a bailout? Or is your hand out giving to someone who needs a hand up? 
 

• IF YOU REALLY WANT TO LIVE, GIVE!

 
Giving is the key to happy, fulfilling, joyful, successful living. If you want to see your situation turn around, I challenge you to give. Give something to someone. Go against the grain of greed. Focus on needs.  
 
Bottom line: You and I can choose to give. Each of us has something to give. We have more than we think we have. We all know people who need what we have. Who needs what you can give to them to make their life a little more tolerable at this time?
 
Tight economic times are not the time to be stingy and tight. Loosen up your purse strings. Turn the tables on this economic downturn. GIVE SOMETHING. Do it today. Defy and shame the selfish, misguided, mindless logic of takers and hoarders.  
 

• Be wise with your resources. Prayerfully seek God’s guidance about giving.  As He directs, give something to someone in need.

 
I truly y believe we can give our way out of difficult times. Biblical prosperity is often a process that comes to pass over time. What I love most about giving is the inner satisfaction of pleasing the Lord when I give to someone else in His name. And I do like it when God blesses me for being a giver!
 
Maybe, just maybe, our governmental and financial leaders should seek Jesus’ advice. He would simply say “Give and it will be given to you.”
 
 “There is one who scatters yet increases all the more. And there is one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.”                                               Proverbs 11:24-25
 
“For if the readiness is present (to give to others in need), it is acceptable according to what a man has, not according to what he does not have.”                  II Corinthians 8:12 
 
A Word For Your Week: Be a generous giver during this economic downtime.