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Wisdom Quote
"What health and sickness are to the body, virtue and wickedness are to the soul, and knowledge and ignorance to the intellect. The greater our devotion to the practice of the virtues, the more our intellect is illumined by knowledge. It is in this way that we are accounted worthy of mercy, that is, through the fifth commandment: 'Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy' (Mt. 5:7). The merciful person is he who gives to others what he has himself received from God, whether it be money, or food, or strength, a helpful word, a prayer, or anything else that he has through which he can express his compassion for those in need. At the same time he considers himself a debtor, since he has received more than he is asked to give."
*St. Peter of Damascus, Church Father and Martyr
Today's Scripture
Jesus speaking to a man who asks Jesus about how to enjoy eternal life...
30 Jesus said, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to the city of Jericho. Robbers came out after him. They took his clothes off and beat him. Then they went away, leaving him almost dead. 31 A religious leader was walking down that road and saw the man. But he went by on the other side. 32 In the same way, a man from the family group of Levi was walking down that road. When he saw the man who was hurt, he came near to him but kept on going on the other side of the road. 33 Then a man from the country of Samaria came by. He went up to the man. As he saw him, he had loving-pity on him. 34 He got down and put oil and wine on the places where he was hurt and put cloth around them. Then the man from Samaria put this man on his own donkey. He took him to a place where people stay for the night and cared for him. 35 The next day the man from Samaria was ready to leave. He gave the owner of that place two pieces of money to care for him. He said to him, 'Take care of this man. If you use more than this, I will give it to you when I come again.'
36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who was beaten by the robbers?" 37 The man who knew the Law said, "The one who showed loving-pity on him." Then Jesus said, "Go and do the same."
*Luke 10.30-36, NLV
Wisdom Story
In the mid-1990s, Rwanda descended into anarchy. Paul Rusesabagina vowed to protect the family he loved, but he ended up finding courage to save over twelve-hundred persons. Paul, a hotel manager in the capital of Rwanda, secretly used his position and intelligence to shelter over a thousand refugees during the genocide. The rest of the world closed its eyes; Paul opened his heart and proved the human spirit can make a person stronger than he thought he would ever need to be.
In the movie "Hotel Rwanda" (2004), violating orders, a journalist named Jack and his soundman escape the confines of Paul's hotel to get footage of the genocide just outside its walls.
Paul has been called to the room of a television correspondent to fix his air conditioner. While Paul is looking at the unit, Jack enters the room with the new footage to show his boss. The boss asks Jack, "What in the hell do you think you're doing?" Jack puts the tape into the playback unit and hits play.
As the tape rolls, we see images of genocidal slaughter. People are being beaten and hacked at with machetes. Suddenly, the reporters realize that Paul is in the room and is seeing the violence happening not far from the walls of his hotel.
Later, Jack apologizes to Paul for the images. He says that he did not know Paul was present. Paul tells Jack, "I am glad you shot this footage, and that you will have a chance to show it." Paul believes that when the people of the world see the gross injustice and brutality of the genocide they will act.
Jack asks, "And if no one intervenes, do you still think it's a good thing to show?" Paul cannot believe that people will not act, saying, "How can they not intervene when they look at such atrocities?" Jack replies, "I think these people will see this footage, they'll say 'Oh my God, that's horrible!,' and, then, they'll go on eating their dinners." Seeing the despair in Paul's eyes, he comments, "What the hell do I know" and invites Paul to relax with him. Paul says he has more work to do and leaves.
Reflection
(1) How might you be a more compassionate, giving person to others in need?
(2) According to Jesus, what does it mean to be neighborly? Are you neighborly? If so, to whom? Whom are you not neighborly to that Christ may want you to treat with neighborliness?
(3) What is the relationship between being neighborly and eternal life, according to Jesus?
(4) What spiritual gifts do you have that can be used to help persons in need physically, emotionally, or spiritually?
For replies and biographical information, and submission to "The Light Shines" daily devotionals ~ a ministry of Christ Community United Methodist Church, Punta Gorda, FL, see next page:
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