This past week at bedtime, I read the story of the Good Samaritan to my children. They did just as Jesus intended, they started analyzing the story by asking why the first two men went in the opposite direction of the injured man on the side of the road. The story is found in Luke’s gospel (Luke 10:25-37), and it illustrates our responsibility as a Christian. As we consider the story, we must bridge the gap into our present day lives. After all, that’s what was intended by Jesus as He told the story.
We should not get too caught up on the details of the story. We must remember that this is a parable. Before we start analyzing maps to determine what road it was in Jesus’ story and considering the thoughts of the men, we must remember that it’s a fictitious story with an intent to teach a lesson about life. So, for us, it could be an abortion clinic in Philadelphia where an abortion doctor named Dr. Kermit Gosnell is standing trial for accusations of murdering babies after they were born alive through failed abortion attempts.
As Christians, we are called to love God with our entire being (heart, mind, soul, and strength). We are likewise called to love our neighbor as ourself. Jesus told this story at the conclusion of a dialogue He had with a Pharisee about eternal life. The point Jesus was illustrating was that no person could ever totally fulfill that command. That’s why we need Jesus’ righteousness to forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness.
As we consider the story of Dr. Gosnell and the entire abortion industry, we must ask this simple question – are we as Christians guilty of walking right by dying babies in abortion clinics without seeking to love them as Jesus has commanded us? Are we guilty of the same thing the priest and Levite men were accused of in Jesus’ story? How much effort do we place upon demonstrating love toward the unborn? Francis Schaeffer said, “Certainly every Christian ought to be praying and working to nullify the abominable abortion law. But as we work and pray, we should have in mind not only this important issue as though it stood alone. Rather, we should be struggling and praying that this whole other total entity “(this godless) worldview” can be rolled back with all its results across all of life.”1
Just as the man on the side of the road, the unborn are in a helpless state. It is our duty as Christians to love our neighbor and the unborn fall into that category. They are not merely fetuses as the liberal news media and defense attorneys for Dr. Gosnell suggest, they are living beings with a real human body, heartbeat, fingers, toes, hair, eyes, and a brain. In fact, we could demonstrate from tests and studies that unborn babies feel all of the pain of murder as they are put to death by having their limbs ripped from their body and injected with lethal poison.
This type of thing is taking place in our cities as we pass by on our way to work or as we go about our daily routine. Just because it’s not the man at the end of the road with the sign that reads, “I need help – I can’t pay my bills – any help is appreciated” the unborn fall into the category of our neighbor. The question is – how much will we love them? With what kind of love?
This story Jesus’ told illustrates the failure of everyone to love our neighbor. However, it also teaches us what Jesus expects of us. This is the same for President Obama (a professing Christian) who is an open supporter of abortion rights and has recently spoken before the Planned Parenthood organization. President Obama is expected to love the unborn. We are expected to love the unborn. How well are we carrying out that task?
1. Seek to educate your children regarding abortion. It’s murder, and there is no other way around that reality. Although our president, in his speech before Planned Parenthood, made fun of antiabortion positions stating that it’s like the 1905’s rather than 2013, we must stand firm on what God says. The calendar doesn’t change God’s Word.
2. Educate your friends regarding women’s pregnancy centers in your city that can provide alternatives to abortion – such as adoption. Many people live without the ability to have children and would love to adopt a child that is at risk of abortion.
3. Educate your friends regarding the fact that large percentages of babies diagnosed with Down Syndrome are found to be perfectly healthy after the abortion. [National Down Syndrome Society]
4. Educate your friends that Down Syndrome is not a reason to abort and that even people with Down Syndrome are people – created by God for a distinct purpose.
5. Pray for God to open the eyes of President Obama and the leaders of America regarding the fact that abortion is murder (1 Timothy 2:1-3).
6. Volunteer in a women’s pregnancy center in your city and seek to care for the unborn.
In Jesus’ story, He said the following (Luke 10:33-35),
“But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’”
Notice the key phrase used in 34, “took care of him” and again in 35, “Take care of him.” Jesus emphasized the fact that the Samaritan took care of this Jewish man on the side of the road. He gave his time, his money, his resources, and sought to take care of him. This is what Jesus expects us to do – even for the unborn.
Who is your neighbor?
Pastor Josh Buice
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1. Francis Schaeffer – A Christian Manifesto, Crossway, 2005.
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