Allegories - Here and Now
~ Jesus couldn’t possibly mean that WE are the unloving ones in the story, could he? ~
You’re meeting Jesus for coffee and conversation when he brings up a familiar topic: loving your neighbor.
“In this contemporary context,” you ask, “who is my neighbor?”
“This story will explain.”
~~~~~~
A homeless man was camped out in a Wal-Mart parking lot when he was beaten and robbed. Soon an Evangelical Christian and his wife drove by.
“Look at that poor guy,” said the woman. “His own bad choices caused this to happen. Let’s not enable his dysfunction by helping him.”
“He’s probably a criminal,” said the man. “Let’s go. We’re late for church.”
So they kept driving.
Soon four ministers drove by. “This kind of problem is getting worse all the time,” said the first. “We’re losing the culture war. See what happens when people refuse to obey God’s laws?”
“God said this would happen,” said the second. “It’s a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. We’d be standing in God’s way if we tried to stop it from happening.”
“People like this need to learn things the hard way,” said the third. “This man’s victim-mentality prevents him from improving himself. There’s nothing we can do to help him.”
“The Bible warns against works-righteousness,” said the fourth. “We are saved by our belief in God, not by doing good works. We might go to hell if we think that helping people like this is more important than our simple faith in God.”
So the pastors drove away.
In time, a foreigner — a Palestinian Muslim — drove by. He took the man to a medical clinic and bought him some clothes. Then he paid for the man to stay in a nice hotel until he was well enough to get by on his own.
~~~~~~
“Who do you think was the injured man’s neighbor?” Jesus asks.
“The foreigner,” you answer.
“That’s right. Now go and do likewise.”
The story sticks like a lump in your throat. “I have no problem with an Arab helping this man,” you say, “but I personally have a moral problem with helping someone who is in the habit of getting hurt because of his own bad choices. I mean, I could give him a sleeping bag or a few bucks but that would hardly solve his problems.”
“Who said anything about giving him stuff?” Jesus asks. “That’s the cheap and easy American way to get out of loving people properly. How about giving him something infinitely more valuable like your time? … or a listening ear? … or a loving touch?”
“Our capacity to love is finite,” you say, “so we focus on people’s spiritual needs, which are so much more important than their physical needs. We want to save their souls from hell.”
Jesus sighs, “You are deceived. Abstract religious thoughts and decisions are not more important than love. Your preoccupation with heaven and hell cripple you, when it comes to giving practical help to hurting people.”
“But Jesus,” you say, “this is what it means to be a Christian today! There’s nothing more important than making a decision for God.”
“Can you honestly not see how wrong you are? You are surrounded with like-minded people, all patting each other on the backs for your lavish displays of morality. I never taught you this. Your juvenile Christian leaders have misled you into thinking passive faith and doctrine is more important than active love.”
“But what about hell?” you ask. “Isn’t making it to heaven the most important thing? And isn’t helping others escape eternal damnation more important than helping them with their temporal needs?”
Jesus shakes his head, looking deep into your eyes. “You are to be pitied more than the Pharisees and Sadducees. Your obsession with hell is self-centered and foolish. Do you even comprehend why I was so critical of the Pharisees?”
You pause, recalling Bible lessons learned long ago. “Because they were hypocrites,” you say. “They were proud and unloving to others because of their judgmental religious attitudes.”
“Which is a perfect description of your brand of Christianity, wouldn’t you agree?” Jesus says, disappointment written across his face. “You think your bumper stickers and public proclamations of faith and super-sized crosses and church buildings and religious monuments will somehow save the world. Can’t you see how these things have absolutely nothing to do with the greatest commandment, which is love?”
You sigh and shake your head, not ready to accept Jesus’ words.
“How many times have you heard people say ‘Christians are unloving and judgmental’?”
“Well … a lot, I suppose.”
“And how many times have you accepted that analysis? … I mean, personally accepted it?”
“Well … ah …”
“Exactly my point,” says Jesus. “You don’t believe the critics. Your arrogance prevents you from seeing how right they are. Meanwhile, you climb up onto God’s throne and create one list of people who are damned … and a second list of people who, like you, are going to heaven. And could you tell me please, how does this relate to the sacrificial agape love that I taught you?”
“It doesn’t,” you say with exasperation.
“You are little more than spiritual salesmen and divine multi-level marketing agents. You bait innocent people with cookies and cheap coffee, getting them to come to your church and buy into your propaganda. And that makes you feel good. It gets you off the hook. Your whole program revolves around heaven and hell so you don’t have to get your hands dirty or drive them to the clinic or wait while they have a job interview. Do you even know what true love is?”
You take a deep breath and slowly let it out, considering Jesus’ words. “I hear what you’re saying, Jesus, but I was always taught that the greatest love was helping people make a decision to escape hell.”
“That is not love, especially when it’s built on the blasphemous assumption that they are damned and you are not. That’s not what I taught you! I told you simple stories of a love that any child can understand. Do you even know why I told you that story just now?”
You give it a moment’s thought. “To show what a good neighbor looks like,” you say.
“Yes,” Jesus says. “And …”
“To show what a bad neighbor looks like.”
“Right,” Jesus says. “And who were the ones who had all the unloving excuses?”
“The religious ones,” you say.
“The religious ones,” Jesus says, “which in case you haven’t notice … includes you. And what kind of love have I shown you? … a drive-by love that keeps a safe distance away, telling people to be good and escape hell?”
“No. You showed us the kind of love that comes at a cost. But Jesus,” you ask, a note of hesitation in your voice, “are you saying we shouldn’t even warn them of hell?”
“You’re asking the wrong question,” Jesus says. “That attitude begins with you in the judgment seat. Step down from the throne and let I am take care of that. It’s our job, not yours.”
“So …” you begin, allowing your thoughts to linger over Jesus’ words. “So you are asking me to throw out this whole program of getting people saved …”
“I like where this is headed,” Jesus says.
“… and honestly, Jesus, when I think about tossing all that out … there’s not much left! I mean, what else do we have if we stop trying to get people to think like us and come to church?”
“Exactly,” Jesus says. “What else remains?”
“Well …” Again you sigh. “It means we simply have to roll up our sleeves and start loving folk right where they are with no strings attached, with no judgment about their salvation or their worth or whatever. It means learning how to love them sacrificially.”
Jesus’ broad smile brightens like the sun. “The greatest is love! That’s the key, and it’s for your benefit as much as theirs. When you get right down on their level, with no pride or superiority, you will be blessed like never before.”
“That makes a lot of sense,” you say.
Jesus laughs. “I think you’re finally starting to get it.”
~~~~~~
THEOLOGY 101: THREE FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES ABOUT GOD:
1) God is love.
2) God is love.
3) God is love.
For related articles, see:
The Problem with Religion – And Why We Can’t See it
Be a Hero: 7 Essentials for Saving America
Paul’s Epistle to the Church in America
Our Favorite Christian Deception, Easily Remedied
12 Reasons Why Not to Be More Religious Than Jesus
Image by Gillfoto, Creative Commons.
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