Locked out!
Luke 10:36-37 (NIV)
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.”
Good morning!
Have you ever locked your keys in the car? It has happened twice to me in the last six months. I wish I could blame it on circumstance, or at least pass the buck to somebody else, but the truth is, I managed to do this all by myself.
It happened again last night. I stopped at the market on my way home from work to pick up a few things for dinner. My arms were full, clutching the wallet with my right hand, and two grocery bags and the car keys in my left hand. I popped the trunk to my car, dropped the bags inside, and shut the lid quickly. I heard the keys clank inside the grocery bag just as the trunk lid locked. I remembered muttering something I should have never said, especially out loud, and I really hope no one else heard me besides God. He hears everything, you know.
Fortunately, I had some quarters in my wallet and I went inside the store to call my husband for help. I wondered how he might react since I was calling him during his favorite television show, but that man is one great guy; he didn’t even get upset with me! Jeff made a quick call to our friend Terry, who has a heart of gold and is always willing to help. He is a local car dealer, and we purchased our automobiles from him. Terry dropped what he was doing at work, met us at the parking lot, with trusty tools in hand. It took a few minutes, but he managed to pick the lock on my car door, pop the trunk lid and rescue my keys. Jeff and Terry really helped me out of a jam last night. Thank you!
Sometimes, we find ourselves standing in the need of a little mercy and grace. Jesus once told a story about a man, traveling alone on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. Along the way, he was robbed, beaten and left for dead. A priest and a Levite passed the injured man by, and didn’t even stop to help. In fact, they crossed over to the other side of the road to avoid the situation entirely. Then, a Samaritan man came along and when he saw the injured man, his heart was stirred with compassion. He went and bandaged his wounds, helping the man onto his donkey, and took him to a nearby inn. He paid the innkeeper for a room and asked him to look after the man. The next day, the Samaritan returned to the inn to check on the invalid, and pay the innkeeper any additional expense. Jesus asked the experts of the law which of the three men was a true neighbor to the one who needed help, and they replied, “The one who had mercy.”
A little mercy and grace can go a long, long way when we make time to reach out to someone else. There are moments when we may find ourselves locked outside the door of God’s love and forgiveness. We’ve messed up, and know we don’t deserve a second chance. The greatest miracle occurs when someone cares enough to cross the line and rescue a neighbor in need. This is exactly what Jesus Christ did for you and me. And he tells us to “go and do likewise.” We all make mistakes. Will you make time today to help someone else unlock the door to faith? Will you share the keys to the Kingdom with someone who may be locked out, and is crying out for help?
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com
Pray for: mercy and grace, to help those who feel locked outside of God’s loving care and forgiveness. He can use your life to help you unlock the door for someone else. Will you share the love of Jesus today?
____________________________
© Copyright 2006, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.
