Let’s Go Run Out of Shirts

Todays' blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

Have you ever heard someone described as a person who would “give you the shirt off his back?”  It’s one of the highest compliments someone can receive.  It means that person can be counted on to help others in their time of need, even if it means sacrificing their own needs in the process.

Jesus tells the story of someone like that.  He’s called the Good Samaritan.

Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. (Luke 10:30-34)

After seeing the injured person, the Good Samaritan was filled with unconditional, agape love, a love that we learned about earlier in the week.  It’s a pure love that causes a consuming passion for the well-being of others regardless of the cost and moves us to act.

I’m sure the Samaritan had other places to be, schedules to keep, other things to spend his money on, but he put all that aside to meet the needs of someone else.

 I can’t help but wonder if the priest and Levite would have stopped if there was an audience to recognize their act of kindness.  Someone to applaud them, pat them on the back and say “well done.” How often do we show love, but only when someone is watching?  How often do we position ourselves so that our sacrifices are done out in the open to receive praise from men? That kind of love is from the head and motivated by merit.

But true unconditional, agape love comes from the heart and is motivated by genuine concern for others.  Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan to illustrate what he wants us to be like.  At the end of the story Jesus said, “Go and do the same.” (v.37)

Will you join me in asking the Lord to fill our hearts with His agape love and to become a people who will give the shirts off our backs for others?  Then, let’s go run out of shirts.