Samaritans Among Us
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For July 13, 2025:
Note: This installment is still being edited and assembled. For purposes of immediacy we are posting this for your use now with the understanding that any errors or omissions will be corrected between now and Tuesday afternoon.
Samaritans Among Us
by Dean Feldmeyer
Luke 10:25-37
Several years ago, Readers Digest magazine invited readers to send in brief stories of times when they experienced unexpected kindness from another person. They were inundated with thousands of responses. One was from Cindy Earls of Ada, Oklahoma:
Cindy and a friend were injured in an automobile accident. A couple from out of state was driving behind them and saw the accident happen. They stopped to help and, seeing that Cindy and her friend were hurt, they drove them to the hospital emergency room where they waited for them to be treated.
Hours later, when they were released from the ER, the couple drove them home, got them some food, and made sure they were comfortably settled in before they left…to resume their vacation.
Cindy’s account relates nothing about the vacationing couple except that they helped. Not their age, not their race, not their religion, their nationality…nothing. Maybe that’s as it should be. All we know or need to know about them is that they helped.
In the Scripture
The Samaritan who stopped to help the man in today’s parable from Jesus was different from the couple who helped Cindy Earls and her friend. He was a Samaritan, identifiable by his clothing and his accent, and he was immediately suspect in the eyes of first century Jews.
Perhaps a little context would be helpful:
When the 12 tribes of Israel were divided by Solomon’s sons after his death the two largest tribes, Judah and Benjamin staked their claim on the southern half of the country which they called Judah, with the capital in Jerusalem. The other ten tribes took the northern half of the country which they called Israel with the capital in Samaria. Those who lived in the southern kingdom of Judah were called Jews. Those who lived in the northern half were called Samaritans.
The Jews, those who lived in the southern kingdom of Judah, believed in strict adherence to the Torah and the purity and cleanliness laws. They believed that this would set them apart from other people. They worshiped the one, true God, Yahweh, who was worshipped by their ancestors, they married only other Jews and did business only with other Jews except when absolutely necessary.
The Samaritans had a much more relaxed attitude about the purity laws. They intermarried with people from other countries and other religions, they allowed people in their country to worship gods from their culture and even, to be accommodating, allowed them to put statues of them in their temple. They had what we might call a relaxed attitude about their religion and the purity of their culture.
Because of this relaxed attitude, Jews held the Samaritans to be traitors to their race, their culture, and their religion. They were not pure and their blood was watered down by centuries of mixed marriages.
So seriously did the Jews take these differences that, in an effort to not be contaminated by contact with Samaritans, they would not even set foot in the country. The New Testament is full of stories of Jews walking miles out of their way to avoid contact with Samaritans and when Jesus broke this taboo, entered Samaria and talked and ate and drank with Samaritans he was immediately considered suspect by the legalistic Jewish puritans of his time.
So, in the parable, the third man to come across the victim lying in the road is a Samaritan. A hated, impure, filthy, disgusting Samaritan. And before we can go on, we must ask: “Who are the Samaritans for us in our time and place?”
In the News
Who are the people that just the thought of being in the same room as them makes you nauseated? Who are the people that you’d rather go hungry than eat at the same table with them? Who are the people that, after you shake their hand, you want to immediately wash your hands with strong soap? Who are the people that you’d rather stand than sit next to on the bus or take a different flight rather than sit next to on the plane?
That’s your Samaritan and the parable insists that we stop and ask ourselves who, specifically is the Samaritan for me?
Is it the drag queen who is overdressed and over, well, dragged and wants to read children’s stories at the local library? Is it the rapper whose pants are in danger of falling down to his ankles and who insists on wearing his cap sideways and two sizes too small? Or the yuppie with his sweater tied around his shoulders? Is it the liberal socialist or the MAGA conservative? The drug dealer? The ex-con? The rich snob? The judgmental televangelist? The ignorant, inarticulate hillbilly in bib overalls or the arrogant ivy league elitist in a designer suit?
Is your Samaritan the woman from Latin America who, with her 3 children, is in the country without documentation? Is it the Islamist student who shouts hateful epithets at Jewish students, who hates and blames Israel for the thousands of lives that have been lost in Gaza? Or is it the Israeli politician who is so angry and bitter about the attack of October 7 that they don’t care how many Palestinian lives are lost?
Is it the tough cop with the plexiglass shield and gas mask or the African American kid throwing rocks at those cops or the white suburbanite who doesn’t take sides because they don’t care one way or the other?
Who is your Samaritan. It’s important for us to know because, brothers and sisters, that’s who steps into the scene, now to help the victim by the side of the road.
Your Samaritan gets the first aid kit out of their car and cleans the man’s wounds and puts a splint on his broken arm. They get a blanket out of the trunk and wrap him in it to keep him from going into shock. They give him a few sips of water and maybe just a little tot of brandy to warm him up.
Then they put him gently into their car ignoring the smears of blood on the seats and they drive him to the nearest emergency room where they see to it that he is treated. They leave their credit card number at the registration desk, and they say, “Give him whatever he needs and charge it to me. I’m going to the pride parade, and I’ll be coming back here on Monday to check on my friend. Take good care of him.”
And with that the Samaritan departs.
In the Sermon
The listeners, the audience, the readers are shocked and scandalized. Jesus has told a story wherein a Samaritan is portrayed in a positive light. He has just pulled the rug out from under everything we know to be true. He has taken our values system and turned it on its head. What’s going on here!
And then, Jesus highlights the point he hast just made with a question: “Which of these three [the priest, the law school professor, or the Samaritan] was the neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”
We tend to hear this question the other way around. We hear Jesus asking who the neighbor to the Samaritan was and, in our head, we say, why the crime victim, of course. But the question that Jesus asks is the other way around. It’s not who was the neighbor to the Samaritan but who was the neighbor to the victim? The revered priest? The respected lawyer? The hated Samaritan?
The lawyer answers: The one who showed him mercy.
Our neighbors are not limited to the people who live next door, though they certainly are our neighbors. Neither are they limited to the people who live on the same street as us, though they are our neighbors, too. Our neighbors are not limited to the people who live in the same neighborhood, or the same town, or the same state or country as us.
Our neighbors are not limited to people whose skin is the same colors as ours, whose English is accented the same ways ours is, who work or play or go to school or enjoy the same sports and watch the same TV shows as us. They aren’t limited to people who vote the same way as us, who think the same way, who love the same way or worship the same way as us.
Our neighbor is not presented to us on a platter for us to accept or reject. Our neighbor is manufactured, made, created by us when we reach out in love and affirmation, when we help them simply because they need help, when we bandage their wounds and comfort them in their afflictions.
Our neighbors are the ones to whom we extend our hand, just as the Samaritan did.
And Jesus said to them, “Go and do likewise.”
SECOND THOUGHTS
The Helpers
by Katy Stenta
Amos 7:7-17
There is a clear cost to not caring for one another. When I was younger I think I hoped that we could all get along, and that being good meant simply being nice to one another. However, as I’ve gotten older, I have learned that there is a plumb line — a clear definition between good and evil. When we see evil, it is our job to respond to it. There is a comforting line Mr. Rogers says to children when they see horrible things on the news, it is the same thing his mother told him when he was little, “look for the helpers.” Of course, we as adults are then supposed to get in there and help. Mr. Rogers mother, for example, lied about her age so that she could volunteer to help as a nurse during the 1918 flu outbreak.
As we view the latest tragedy in the news, our hearts break for the floods and the many lives lost in Texas. Blame seems inevitable, as tiny eight-year-old girls were lost in cabins and text alerts may or may not have gotten through in the middle of the night to cabins by the Guadalupe River. However, one thing seems to be a clear — plumb line as climate change leads to more frequent and dangerous flooding not just in Texas, but everywhere, including floods in Appalachia from Hurricane Helene last year and Hurricane Ida in Louisiana. Both turned deadly in 2021.
Questions remain in Texas regarding cuts to NOAA and how effective storm warnings and weather predictions will be, not only for the Camp Mystic tragedy — which did not have an adequate warning system despite years of debate to put one into place — but for other areas that have also experienced cuts and will surely be dealing with more natural disputers in the future. In the context of Amos, if disasters are coming, surely it is our job to prepare for them.
One other thing is clear — as we love and care for one another, we know that love remains afloat, for many waters cannot quench love, nor can floods drown it. In the midst of this terrible tragedy, love exists. During this flood, two Mexican women, Silvana Garza and María Paula Zárate, acted quickly. Writing the girls names in permanent marker on their arms to keep track of them, they move twenty girls in barefeet to higher ground, improvised shelter, and comforted them throughout the night. The plum line between who cares for one another clearly is not about nation or age, but is about those willing to put the time and care into keeping one another safe. The loving care of these two Latina women shows that love is the best course of action, and that with even more communication and care, we can keep all of our children safe.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Mary Austin:
Luke 10:25-37
Neighbors and Strangers
The main characters in Jesus’ parable wouldn’t typically have a positive interaction, which gives us the whole juicy zing of the story. Reflecting on his own life, Parker Palmer has been musing lately on the strangers he’s met in his life.
He writes
I began as a “homeboy,” but amazing grace set me free… I grew up in an affluent, all-white, predominantly Christian suburb. I came of age in the 1950s when white America was in the driver’s seat and asleep at the wheel — so I knew next to nothing about the stunning and creative diversity of the human family. If I hadn’t been blessed as an adult with frequent opportunities to live and work with folks of diverse races, ethnicities, social classes, faith traditions, sexual orientations and gender identities, I’d probably still have the mind of a straight, white, male Christian adolescent who’s seen only a tiny slice of the world.
For him, the people he’s met have expanded his world, the way the injured man and the Samaritan do for each other. “At age 86, I would have been deprived of the many gifts I’ve received from a life spent in “the company of strangers.” And, like a lot of my white male age-mates, I’d probably be scared to death by today’s U.S.A. — a country that will soon be less that 50% white, where same-sex marriage is legal, and people have the uppity habit of insisting on their Constitutional rights. To a mind like that, the challenge diversity poses to white supremacy would most likely look like the devil’s work.” Instead, that diversity looks like grace.
* * *
Luke 10:25-37
Really, Who Is My Neighbor?
The lawyer asks Jesus a question about neighbors to trick him, and, in our world, many of us wonder about our neighbors because we don’t know them well.
Charles Montgomery, who writes about cities in his book Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design, says that the time we spend commuting to work erodes our connections with our neighbors. He says:
It is a neighborhood’s place in a city, and the distance its residents travel every day, that make the biggest difference to social landscapes. The more time that people in any given neighborhood spend commuting, the less likely they are to play team sports, hang out with friends, watch a parade, or get involved in social groups. In fact, the effect of long-distance living is so strong that a 2001 study of neighborhoods in Boston and Atlanta found that neighborhood social ties could be predicted simply by counting how many people depend on cars to get around. The more neighbors drove to work, the less likely they were to be friends with one another.
Distance raises the cost of every friendly encounter. Let’s say that you and I want to meet for an ice-cream cone at the end of our workday before heading home for dinner. First we both must chart the geographic area each of us can reach in that time. Then we must see if our territories intersect. Then we need to figure out if the journey to and from a rendezvous point in that zone leaves enough time to make the meeting worthwhile.
The injured man and the generous Samaritan meet on the road. Paradoxically, for us, the less time we spend on the road, the more connections we can have with other people.
* * *
Luke 10:25-37
Silent Kindness
As the parable of the kind Samaritan illustrates, we don’t have to know someone for our entire lives to meet and have an impact.
Aya McMillan recalls that right after she turned 39, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The news came after a series of other losses, including the death of her dog and the end of a long romantic relationship. “I have to say that that was probably the loneliest period of my life,” McMillan said. After the diagnosis, she had a series of tests and scans, most of which she went to alone. Her last hurdle before surgery was an MRI that included a double biopsy.
She explains, “For those that don’t know, [that procedure] essentially forces you to lie face down into what feels like a very loud coffin and you’re asked to stay totally still as two horrifyingly large needles are injected from each side in tandem…My head was hurting from the cradle. My body was cold and cramping, and through the speaker, the technicians were pleading with me to stay still just a few minutes longer.”
Then, when it came time for the biopsy, she started to panic. She was just about to hit the button that would tell the technicians to stop the procedure when she felt a hand on her back. “Someone was gently running their palm in a circular motion to soothe me the way a mom does with her child,” McMillan recalled. “Those few minutes of physical contact, at a time when I felt like I had lost all my bodily autonomy, that was what got me through the biopsy.”
McMillan was face down for the procedure, so when she emerged from the MRI, she had no idea who had comforted her through the ordeal. But she says she’ll never forget that act of kindness. She says, “Suffering can feel like such a singular experience. My unsung hero didn’t just show me that I wasn’t alone. [They] helped me feel it. And for that, I am forever grateful.”
* * *
Colossians 1:1-14
Not Despairing
The writer of this epistle could write about despair, and how hard it is to spread the good news in the world. Instead, the writer lands firmly on the side of thanksgiving.
Author Cole Arthur Riley, who struggles with a debilitating autoimmune disease, knows this same feeling. She writes, echoing this letter, “Practicing wonder is a powerful tool against despair. It works nearly the same muscles as hope, in that you find yourself believing in goodness and beauty even when the evidence gives you every reason to believe that goodness and beauty are void. This can feel like a risk to those of us who have had our dreams colonized, who have known the devastation of hope unfulfilled. I once heard the Japanese artist Makoto Fujimura say, “The most courageous thing we can do as a people is to behold.” This gave me great empathy for those who have lost their wonder. For myself. We are not to blame for what the world has so relentlessly tried to crush in us, but we are endangered because of it.” (from This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us)
Even in danger, even in despair, we’re invited to thanksgiving and awe.
* * * * * *
From team member Chris Keating:
Deuteronomy 30:9-14
It’s not so hard
Deuteronomy reminds the people of Israel that God’s commandments really aren’t so hard. They’re not far away (30:11-13), but are already within our mouths (v.14). They are especially easier than sorting out all the rules and obligations owed to Canaanite deities. I should have remembered that the time I tried to get ice cream without my family’s knowledge. The infamous tale is known in our family as “The Time Dad Tried to Roll Through Dairy Queen.” We were cruising our way through Georgia, trying to get to Florida before dinner. I’d been seeing billboards for Dairy Queen for the last ten miles. After quickly determining that all four kids and their mom were asleep, I pulled over and made my move. I pulled up to the drive-through and whispered my order. With my large, dipped cone in my hand, I started to exit the parking lot when I got made. The jig was up: our nine-year-old woke up and declared, “Hey! I want ice cream, too!” Her words rang out like Paul Revere’s cries, signaling her siblings’ and mother’s attention to my deceit. “What do you think you’re doing?” my wife said. “I guess turning around and buying everyone ice cream?” I replied. “That’s a good answer,” she said, reminding me of my obligations to ensure domestic tranquility. Ice cream was purchased and we were soon back on the road, assured of the Lord’s delight in all we do. Or should have done. It was easier than I had imagined.
My ill-thought-out plan of procuring ice cream while everyone slept became a lesson about doing the right thing and a reminder of God’s grace. Doing the right thing (and buying ice cream is nearly always the right thing) is not so hard. Grace, despite our resistance, is not hard, either. Writer Anne Lamotte reminds us that grace “is spiritual WD-40, or water wings. The mystery of grace is that God loves Henry Kissinger and Vladimir Putin and me exactly as He or She loves your new grandchild.” It’s easy to remember, a reminder Lamotte says that trusting God often means “me running out of good ideas.”
* * *
Luke 10:25-37
Not only “Who is my neighbor?” but perhaps “Who is the narcissist?”
Amy-Jill Levine insightfully corrects anti-Jewish interpretations of the Parable of the Good Samaritan. In her classic book, Short Stories by Jesus, Levine notes that the tendency to explain the negligence of both the Levite and the Priest is often based on the wrong assumption that they are following Jewish purity laws. (See Levine, pp. 98-100). Levine points out that the man was not dead, and in any case, the Law “required that both men attend to the fellow in the ditch, whether alive or dead, for one is to ‘love the neighbor’ and ‘love the stranger’ both.” (Levine, p. 101).
She concludes:
The best explanation I’ve heard for the refusal of the priest and the Levite to come to the aid of the man in the ditch comes from Martin Luther King, Jr., who preached: ‘I’m going to tell you what my imagination tells me. It’s possible these men were afraid….And so the first question that the priest and the Levite asked was, ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?...King went on, ‘If I do not stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to them?’ Whatever the motives of the priest and the Levite, King is correct. They, like the lawyer, thought only about themselves, not about the man in the ditch.
* * *
Luke 10:25-37
The cost of not caring for our neighbors
Officials assessing last week’s heartbreaking flooding in Texas are scrutinizing factors leading to at least ninety deaths, including many children who were attending summer camp. County officials have said that preventative measures, such as a public warning system, were not in place because such measures are expensive. County Judge Rob Kelly said residents won’t foot the bill for alarm systems. “Taxpayers won’t pay for it,” Kelly told the New York Times. He said he had no idea if people might reconsider that in light of last week’s flood.
* * *
Luke 10:25-37
Immigrants are neighbors, too
As Amy-Jill Levine and other interpreters emphasize, there is only one answer to the lawyer’s question of Jesus. The story leads us to see the universality of Jesus’ welcome and God’s expansive love. The question, says Levine, “’Who is my neighbor?’ is about the limits we place on God’s love. It is a “polite way of asking, ‘Who is not my neighbor?’ or ‘Who does not deserve my love?’ or even ‘Whom can I hate?”
Rising fears over immigration tend to support Levine’s premise. President Trump’s immigration czar Tom Homan praised the recently passed “one big, beautiful bill” because of the $170 billion earmarked for detaining and deporting immigrants. Homan said the money is necessary to buy more beds for detainees. “The more beds we have, the more bad guys we arrest,” said Homan. (Many reports dispute the Department of Homeland Security claims of how many immigrants are violent criminals.)
Polls conducted by Pew Research Center report that nearly one-third of American adults believe immigrants who entered the United States illegally should be deported, while half of Americans say some should be removed. Yet those numbers are tricky, and forming a clear summary of American viewpoints is difficult.
A recent Gallup poll finds that about 70 percent of Americans favor providing immigrants a path toward U.S. citizenship. But Gallup notes that coming to any conclusion is difficult.
One researcher suggests that perhaps politics and cultural views make these conversations more difficult. Reflecting on a sign in her neighbor’s yard that stated, “No matter where you are from, we’re glad you’re our neighbor,” Meredith Lehman poses that the arguments over immigrants have become too complicated. “I found myself wondering then, as I wonder now, when compassion had become so complicated. It seems everyone has become preoccupied arguing over the minutiae of immigration that they’ve missed the most glaring and essential point: We are neighbors.”
* * * * * *
From team member Nazish Naseem:
Amos 7:7-17
The Plumb Line: A Symbol of Accountability and Truth
Imagine a skilled builder standing before a towering wall, a key structure designed to withstand the test of time. In the builder’s hand is a humble yet powerful tool a plumb line. As it hangs straight and accurately, it reveals the imperfections in the wall, urging the builder to make adjustments and ensure that the integrity of the structure is maintained.
This image vividly captures the essence of Amos 7:7-17, where the prophet Amos receives a divine vision from the Lord, symbolized by that very plumb line. The hanging line, not just a tool but a powerful symbol, represents God’s unwavering standard for righteousness, serving as a reminder to the people of Israel of their departure from these divine expectations. Like the builder, they are called to evaluate their lives, align their actions, and restore their moral foundations.
As the narrative unfolds, we witness a confrontation between Amos and Amaziah, the priest of Bethel. Picture the tension in the air as Amos stands boldly, words like arrows aimed at complacency, while Amaziah, representing the authority of the day, demands silence in the face of uncomfortable truths. This clash illuminates the struggle between the truth that needs to be spoken and the resistance that often arises from those entrenched in power. Amaziah’s pushback encapsulates the human inclination to protect the status quo, to avoid the disruption that truth can bring.
Yet, Amos remains undeterred, asserting his identity as a shepherd chosen by God to sound the alarm. His voice, carrying the weight of divine authority, echoes through time, challenging us to examine our foundations.
In our communal and national lives, we too are invited to hold up our plumb lines. What does it mean to live according to a higher standard? Where do we see ourselves diverging from the principles of righteousness? The plumb line beckons us to reflect deeply on our character, our choices, and the very foundations upon which we build our lives and communities.
In these moments of scrutiny, the call to accountability rings clear. Just as the builder must ensure every part of the wall is genuine, so too must we align ourselves with the divine standards. These standards, such as honesty, compassion, and justice, challenge and reshape our perceptions. In embracing this challenge, we open ourselves up not only to transformation but to the possibility of a society that reflects justice, integrity, and truth.
* * *
Psalm 25:1-10
Nurtured by Faith: Sarah’s Journey to Finding Purpose
In a small, sunlit room filled with soft pastels and stuffed animals, a young girl named Sarah sat quietly on her bed, clutching a worn teddy bear. She often stared out of the window, watching children play in the neighborhood, their laughter echoing like a sweet melody. But within her heart, a sharp ache lingered—the longing to be a mother one day.
Despite the shadow of despair that loomed, Sarah’s courage shone through. Her parents’ words, often echoing in her mind, were like a bolt of lightning, but she refused to be defined by them. She felt like a withering flower, yes, but one that was determined to find the sunlight, even in the darkest corner.
One day, feeling overwhelmed and worried, Sarah turned to her faith for solace. She opened her Bible, seeking guidance. As she flipped through the pages, her eyes landed on Psalm 25:1-10. “To you, O Lord, I lift my soul,” she read aloud, her voice trembling. In that moment, she realized that she could release her burdens to God, just as the psalmist did. She crawled into her cozy bed, closed her eyes, and began to pray, pouring out her heart, her fears, and her dreams.
“Show me your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths,” she whispered through tears. In that moment of vulnerability, she felt an unexpected warmth, a comforting embrace that she knew could only be from God. She envisioned a future filled with possibilities, perhaps not in the traditional sense of motherhood, but in ways that she had not yet imagined.
As the days passed, Sarah’s prayers and reflections brought her peace. She realized that while her journey might not follow the path, she initially envisioned, God was guiding her in ways that could lead to joy and fulfillment. She started volunteering at a local children’s shelter, where her nurturing spirit blossomed. The children thrived under her care, and it filled her heart with a sense of purpose that she had never experienced before.
Through this experience, Sarah discovered that accountability and truth were integral to her journey. Psalm 25 taught her that even amid disappointment, she could seek God and trust in His plan. She discovered that motherhood could be defined by love, compassion, and the relationships she built, rather than just biological ties. In the depths of her soul, she found hope, knowing that God had a beautiful purpose for her life, one that she was still unfolding with each passing day.
* * *
Colossians 1:1-14
A Heart of Hospitality: The Transformative Power of Compassion
In Punjab (Pakistan), my father, who has been in ministry as a teaching elder (Pastor) for 38 years, gave us multiple examples of living with a heart full of compassion for others. His humble home was more than just a dwelling; it was a sanctuary for anyone in need. He believed in the power of faith, love, and hospitality as cornerstones of his ministry.
As a child, I experienced having strangers in our house, especially Christians who were travelers who needed shelter for a day or two, were lost, or had missed their train or bus. A couple of times, when I questioned my father, he always responded, ‘We are here to present Christ.’
One evening, the doorbell rang, and when I opened it, a young boy asked me if this was the Pastor’s house. I called my father, and later, a man who looked lost and exhausted, carrying only a small bag, entered our home. Without hesitation, my father invited him to stay at his home. “You are welcome here, brother. We have food, shelter, and fellowship to share.” In that moment, my father was not just a Pastor, but a guide and mentor, leading the traveler towards a path of faith and love.
That night, as we sat around the dinner table, Pastor shared stories of his faith and how the love of Christ had transformed his life. He spoke of the richness of God’s grace, as described in Colossians 1:12, illustrating how they were all called to share in the inheritance of the saints. The traveler listened intently, his heart stirred by the transformative power of love and faith, which filled him with hope and inspiration, and inspired him to carry on his journey with renewed faith and love.
The Pastor prayed for the traveler’s journey, asking God to provide strength and guidance. In the morning, before traveling, the traveler felt a deep sense of belonging, having experienced the very essence of Colossians 1:1-14, being uplifted through love, prayer, and the assurance that, regardless of their backgrounds, they were united in Christ. In that single act of hospitality, the Pastor not only welcomed a stranger but also embodied the transformative love that God calls all believers to share. This transformative love is a love that changes hearts, heals wounds, and inspires hope. It made the traveler feel not just welcomed, but truly included and part of a larger community, a community that welcomes all with open arms and love.
* * *
Luke 10:25-37
A Modern Good Samaritan Tale
In a bustling city, a hospital stood, its walls weary from the burden of the pandemic. Inside, the air was thick with tension, as healthcare workers rushed about, donned in masks and protective gear, a silent testament to the struggles they faced daily. One of those workers, a cleaner named Maria, had dedicated her life to keeping the hospital tidy and safe for patients and staff alike.
One afternoon, the clergy member from Pastoral Care asked to offer “Last Rites” to the patient at the family’s request. His intention was noble; he was there to offer prayers and support to the sick. As he moved through the halls, he surveyed the bustling wards filled with patients fighting the virus. Approaching a patient’s room, he hesitated at the door, letting the fear of the unknown creep into his heart.
Inside, a patient lay struggling, connected to machines that beeped rhythmically. The clergy, feeling the weight of his position, instead chose to stand outside the room, praying silently. He wanted to help but was overwhelmed by caution and doubt, pondering the risk of entering a space so laden with illness. His heart was torn between his noble intention and the fear of the unknown, a battle that raged within him as he stood outside the room.
This moment was not lost on Maria and other environmental staff, like her. She passed by the clergy, while he stood frozen in his apprehensions. She donned her N95 mask, gloves, and gown. She entered the room with unwavering determination, her heart full of compassion and courage that not only inspired all who witnessed her actions but also instilled a sense of inspiration and courage in the audience, reminding them of the bravery that lies within each of us.
Maria navigated the small space, cleaning surfaces and ensuring everything was sanitary for the recovering patient. She hummed softly to herself, a melody of hope amidst despair. As she worked, she spoke kindly to the patients on ventilators, offering words of encouragement and comfort. Her actions, though seemingly small, had a profound impact on the patients and their loved ones, who felt the warmth of her care and the reassurance of her words, a testament to the profound effects of small acts of kindness.
When she finished her task, Maria stepped back out of the room, where the clergy still stood, deep in thought. He witnessed the care she gave, recognizing a profound truth: sometimes, love requires action over intention.
Feeling inspired, the clergy approached Maria, who had just changed the room’s atmosphere with her simple yet profound act of service. “Thank you for your bravery,” he said, his voice filled with newfound understanding and respect. His heart, once filled with caution and doubt, now brimmed with admiration and respect for Maria’s selfless service. Her actions had not only comforted the patients’ families but also transformed the general perspective of the society of her and other “Essential workers” set. The clergy’s experience was a testament to the transformative power of compassion, instilling a sense of hope and optimism in the audience, and reminding them of the brighter future that lies ahead.
In that moment, the cleaner, Maria, helped the clergy recognize that true compassion transcends titles and professions. It is a universal language that everyone can speak, and it flourishes in actions, in choices made on behalf of those in need, regardless of the risk involved. This realization fosters a sense of connection and unity in the audience, reminding them that they too are part of this larger community, bound together by our shared humanity and the power of compassion. The audience is not just a passive observer, but an active participant in this narrative of compassion and resilience.
As the narrative of the Good Samaritan came to life within the hospital walls, it served as a poignant reminder that in the face of adversity and fear, it is often the simple acts of kindness and dedication that truly make a difference. Maria and the clergy both left with a renewed sense of purpose, ready to face the challenges of the pandemic with a community spirit that reflected the essence of love and service. This story serves as a testament to the importance of compassion and action during challenging times, inspiring the audience to act with kindness and recognize the value of all individuals. Let this narrative be a call to action, a reminder that we all have the power to be a Good Samaritan in our own way, and that even the smallest acts of kindness can have a profound impact.
* * * * * *
WORSHIP
by George Reed
Call to Worship
One: Give justice to the weak and the orphan, O God.
All: Maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.
One: Rescue the weak and the needy.
All: Deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
One: Rise up, O God, judge the earth.
All: All the nations belong to you!
OR
One: God calls us, one and all, into the divine embrace.
All: We rejoice to be held in God’s loving arms.
One: God invites us to measure our lives by the plumb line of love.
All: We know we fall short but we accept the challenge.
One: God made us all from the same earth and breath.
All: We will open our lives to all God’s children.
Hymns and Songs
All Creatures of Our God and King
UMH: 62
H82: 400
PH: 455
GTG: 15
AAHH: 147
NNBH: 33
NCH: 17
CH: 22
LBW: 527
ELW: 835
W&P: 23
AMEC: 50
STLT: 203
Renew: 47
All People That on Earth Do Dwell
UMH: 75
H82: 377/378
PH: 220/221
GTG: 385
NNBH: 36
NCH: 7
CH: 18
LBW: 245
ELW: 883
W&P: 661
AMEC: 73
STLT: 370
Let All the World in Every Corner Sing
UMH: 93
H82: 402/403
PH: 468
GTG: 636
W&P: 49
There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy
UMH: 121
H82: 469/470
PH: 298
GTG: 435
NCH: 23
CH: 73
LBW: 290
ELW: 587/588
W&P: 61
AMEC: 78
STLT: 213
Hope of the World
UMH: 178
H82: 472
PH: 360
GTG: 734
NCH: 46
CH: 538
LBW: 493
W&P: 404
We Meet You, O Christ
UMH: 257
PH: 311
CH: 183
W&P: 616
The Gift of Love
UMH: 408
GTG: 693
AAHH: 522
CH: 526
W&P: 397
Renew: 155
Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life
UMH: 427
H82: 609
PH: 408
GTG: 343
NCH: 543
CH: 665
LBW: 429
ELW: 719
W&P: 591
AMEC: 561
What Does the Lord Require (of You)
UMH: 441
H82: 605
PH: 405
GTG: 70
CH: 659
W&P: 686
Lord, Speak to Me
UMH: 463
PH: 426
GTG: 722
NCH: 531
ELW: 676
W&P: 593
Shine, Jesus, Shine
CCB: 81
Renew: 247
We Are His Hands
CCB: 85
Music Resources Key
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
GTG: Glory to God, The Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELW: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day/Collect
O God who is love:
Grant us the wisdom to use your plumb line
and measure all things by your love;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We praise you, O God, because you are love. Out of love and for love you created all that is. Help us to use that plumb line to measure our lives so that we might always act in love. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
One: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins and especially when we fail to act out of love.
All: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We say you are love and that loving you and our neighbors is the heart of your commandments. Yet we fail to act out of that love. We allow greed, selfishness, and pride to draw us into unloving acts that hurt others. We divide people into groups and label some worthy and some unworthy. We have failed you, others, and ourselves. Forgive us and renew your Spirit within us that we may truly measure our lives by the plumb line of your love. Amen.
One: God’s plumb line of love is true. God’s love is offered to all. Receive God’s forgiveness and share God’s love with all.
Prayers of the People
We praise you, O God whose plumb line is always trustworthy and true. You set the standard of unconditional love to support us and lead us.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We say you are love and that loving you and our neighbors is the heart of your commandments. Yet we fail to act out of that love. We allow greed, selfishness, and pride to draw us into unloving acts that hurt others. We divide people into groups and label some worthy and some unworthy. We have failed you, others, and ourselves. Forgive us and renew your Spirit within us that we may truly measure our lives by the plumb line of your love.
We give you thanks for inviting all of us into your family. There are no outsiders to you and we are blessed to know this. We are grateful for the opportunity to welcome all your children into our loving care. We thank you for those who welcomed us into the Body of Christ.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We lift up to you those who have felt rejected and pushed aside by others. We pray for those who have been judged because they seem to be in a certain group. We pray for those who risk so much to reach across the divides that have been created to keep people apart.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
Hear us as we pray for others: (Time for silent or spoken prayer.)
All these things we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ who taught us to pray saying:
Our Father....Amen.
(Or if the Our Father is not used at this point in the service.)
All this we ask in the name of the blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
* * * * * *
CHILDREN’S SERMON
Putting God First
by Tom Willadsen
Deuteronomy 30:9-14
The gospel lesson for today is the Parable of the Good Samaritan. I’m focusing on this week’s alternate Old Testament reading because it’s a nice tie-in, a kind of foundation for the parable, which I’ll assume the preacher will focus on today.
The lesson from Deuteronomy comes at the very end of the Torah, and the very end of Moses’ life. He’s giving final instructions to the Hebrews as they’re on the verge of becoming the Israelites. He reminds them of God’s commandments and that if they obey God’s laws things will go well for them.
When the expert in the law asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life, Jesus asked the expert what the Law said. The expert answered correctly, citing Deuteronomy twice.
But the expert pushed a little harder, he wanted extra credit — or to prove that he was “righteous” or to “vindicate himself as the NRSV has it.
Jesus then answered the expert’s question with a story.
Jesus and the expert knew the law very well. It was the foundation of their heritage, identity, and education. It was not far away. They did not have to go looking for it. They did not have to fly to heaven or cross the sea to know the commandments of their God. It was in their hearts. They knew right from wrong.
That’s what Moses is telling the Hebrews/Israelites. You already know what God wants you to do. It’s no mystery.
Remind the children who have come forward — and everyone else in worship today, that they already know right from wrong. They should not lie, steal, or kill. They should put God first.
The hard part is doing all those things.
The scandalous part is that in Jesus’ parable — it was a Samaritan who did them!
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, July 13, 2025 issue.
Copyright 2025 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
- Samaritans Among Us by Dean Feldmeyer based on Acts 2:1-21. Samaritans were despised and dismissed by the original audience who first heard Jesus tell this parable. Who are the Samaritans in our lives and how does this parable apply today?
- Second Thoughts: The Helpers by Katy Stenta based on Amos 7:7-17.
- Sermon illustrations by Mary Austin, Chris Keating, Nazish Naseem.
- Worship resources by George Reed.
- Children’s sermon: Putting God First by Tom Willadsen based on Deuteronomy 30:9-14.
- More to come...
Note: This installment is still being edited and assembled. For purposes of immediacy we are posting this for your use now with the understanding that any errors or omissions will be corrected between now and Tuesday afternoon.
Samaritans Among Usby Dean Feldmeyer
Luke 10:25-37
Several years ago, Readers Digest magazine invited readers to send in brief stories of times when they experienced unexpected kindness from another person. They were inundated with thousands of responses. One was from Cindy Earls of Ada, Oklahoma:
Cindy and a friend were injured in an automobile accident. A couple from out of state was driving behind them and saw the accident happen. They stopped to help and, seeing that Cindy and her friend were hurt, they drove them to the hospital emergency room where they waited for them to be treated.
Hours later, when they were released from the ER, the couple drove them home, got them some food, and made sure they were comfortably settled in before they left…to resume their vacation.
Cindy’s account relates nothing about the vacationing couple except that they helped. Not their age, not their race, not their religion, their nationality…nothing. Maybe that’s as it should be. All we know or need to know about them is that they helped.
In the Scripture
The Samaritan who stopped to help the man in today’s parable from Jesus was different from the couple who helped Cindy Earls and her friend. He was a Samaritan, identifiable by his clothing and his accent, and he was immediately suspect in the eyes of first century Jews.
Perhaps a little context would be helpful:
When the 12 tribes of Israel were divided by Solomon’s sons after his death the two largest tribes, Judah and Benjamin staked their claim on the southern half of the country which they called Judah, with the capital in Jerusalem. The other ten tribes took the northern half of the country which they called Israel with the capital in Samaria. Those who lived in the southern kingdom of Judah were called Jews. Those who lived in the northern half were called Samaritans.
The Jews, those who lived in the southern kingdom of Judah, believed in strict adherence to the Torah and the purity and cleanliness laws. They believed that this would set them apart from other people. They worshiped the one, true God, Yahweh, who was worshipped by their ancestors, they married only other Jews and did business only with other Jews except when absolutely necessary.
The Samaritans had a much more relaxed attitude about the purity laws. They intermarried with people from other countries and other religions, they allowed people in their country to worship gods from their culture and even, to be accommodating, allowed them to put statues of them in their temple. They had what we might call a relaxed attitude about their religion and the purity of their culture.
Because of this relaxed attitude, Jews held the Samaritans to be traitors to their race, their culture, and their religion. They were not pure and their blood was watered down by centuries of mixed marriages.
So seriously did the Jews take these differences that, in an effort to not be contaminated by contact with Samaritans, they would not even set foot in the country. The New Testament is full of stories of Jews walking miles out of their way to avoid contact with Samaritans and when Jesus broke this taboo, entered Samaria and talked and ate and drank with Samaritans he was immediately considered suspect by the legalistic Jewish puritans of his time.
So, in the parable, the third man to come across the victim lying in the road is a Samaritan. A hated, impure, filthy, disgusting Samaritan. And before we can go on, we must ask: “Who are the Samaritans for us in our time and place?”
In the News
Who are the people that just the thought of being in the same room as them makes you nauseated? Who are the people that you’d rather go hungry than eat at the same table with them? Who are the people that, after you shake their hand, you want to immediately wash your hands with strong soap? Who are the people that you’d rather stand than sit next to on the bus or take a different flight rather than sit next to on the plane?
That’s your Samaritan and the parable insists that we stop and ask ourselves who, specifically is the Samaritan for me?
Is it the drag queen who is overdressed and over, well, dragged and wants to read children’s stories at the local library? Is it the rapper whose pants are in danger of falling down to his ankles and who insists on wearing his cap sideways and two sizes too small? Or the yuppie with his sweater tied around his shoulders? Is it the liberal socialist or the MAGA conservative? The drug dealer? The ex-con? The rich snob? The judgmental televangelist? The ignorant, inarticulate hillbilly in bib overalls or the arrogant ivy league elitist in a designer suit?
Is your Samaritan the woman from Latin America who, with her 3 children, is in the country without documentation? Is it the Islamist student who shouts hateful epithets at Jewish students, who hates and blames Israel for the thousands of lives that have been lost in Gaza? Or is it the Israeli politician who is so angry and bitter about the attack of October 7 that they don’t care how many Palestinian lives are lost?
Is it the tough cop with the plexiglass shield and gas mask or the African American kid throwing rocks at those cops or the white suburbanite who doesn’t take sides because they don’t care one way or the other?
Who is your Samaritan. It’s important for us to know because, brothers and sisters, that’s who steps into the scene, now to help the victim by the side of the road.
Your Samaritan gets the first aid kit out of their car and cleans the man’s wounds and puts a splint on his broken arm. They get a blanket out of the trunk and wrap him in it to keep him from going into shock. They give him a few sips of water and maybe just a little tot of brandy to warm him up.
Then they put him gently into their car ignoring the smears of blood on the seats and they drive him to the nearest emergency room where they see to it that he is treated. They leave their credit card number at the registration desk, and they say, “Give him whatever he needs and charge it to me. I’m going to the pride parade, and I’ll be coming back here on Monday to check on my friend. Take good care of him.”
And with that the Samaritan departs.
In the Sermon
The listeners, the audience, the readers are shocked and scandalized. Jesus has told a story wherein a Samaritan is portrayed in a positive light. He has just pulled the rug out from under everything we know to be true. He has taken our values system and turned it on its head. What’s going on here!
And then, Jesus highlights the point he hast just made with a question: “Which of these three [the priest, the law school professor, or the Samaritan] was the neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”
We tend to hear this question the other way around. We hear Jesus asking who the neighbor to the Samaritan was and, in our head, we say, why the crime victim, of course. But the question that Jesus asks is the other way around. It’s not who was the neighbor to the Samaritan but who was the neighbor to the victim? The revered priest? The respected lawyer? The hated Samaritan?
The lawyer answers: The one who showed him mercy.
Our neighbors are not limited to the people who live next door, though they certainly are our neighbors. Neither are they limited to the people who live on the same street as us, though they are our neighbors, too. Our neighbors are not limited to the people who live in the same neighborhood, or the same town, or the same state or country as us.
Our neighbors are not limited to people whose skin is the same colors as ours, whose English is accented the same ways ours is, who work or play or go to school or enjoy the same sports and watch the same TV shows as us. They aren’t limited to people who vote the same way as us, who think the same way, who love the same way or worship the same way as us.
Our neighbor is not presented to us on a platter for us to accept or reject. Our neighbor is manufactured, made, created by us when we reach out in love and affirmation, when we help them simply because they need help, when we bandage their wounds and comfort them in their afflictions.
Our neighbors are the ones to whom we extend our hand, just as the Samaritan did.
And Jesus said to them, “Go and do likewise.”
SECOND THOUGHTSThe Helpers
by Katy Stenta
Amos 7:7-17
There is a clear cost to not caring for one another. When I was younger I think I hoped that we could all get along, and that being good meant simply being nice to one another. However, as I’ve gotten older, I have learned that there is a plumb line — a clear definition between good and evil. When we see evil, it is our job to respond to it. There is a comforting line Mr. Rogers says to children when they see horrible things on the news, it is the same thing his mother told him when he was little, “look for the helpers.” Of course, we as adults are then supposed to get in there and help. Mr. Rogers mother, for example, lied about her age so that she could volunteer to help as a nurse during the 1918 flu outbreak.
As we view the latest tragedy in the news, our hearts break for the floods and the many lives lost in Texas. Blame seems inevitable, as tiny eight-year-old girls were lost in cabins and text alerts may or may not have gotten through in the middle of the night to cabins by the Guadalupe River. However, one thing seems to be a clear — plumb line as climate change leads to more frequent and dangerous flooding not just in Texas, but everywhere, including floods in Appalachia from Hurricane Helene last year and Hurricane Ida in Louisiana. Both turned deadly in 2021.
Questions remain in Texas regarding cuts to NOAA and how effective storm warnings and weather predictions will be, not only for the Camp Mystic tragedy — which did not have an adequate warning system despite years of debate to put one into place — but for other areas that have also experienced cuts and will surely be dealing with more natural disputers in the future. In the context of Amos, if disasters are coming, surely it is our job to prepare for them.
One other thing is clear — as we love and care for one another, we know that love remains afloat, for many waters cannot quench love, nor can floods drown it. In the midst of this terrible tragedy, love exists. During this flood, two Mexican women, Silvana Garza and María Paula Zárate, acted quickly. Writing the girls names in permanent marker on their arms to keep track of them, they move twenty girls in barefeet to higher ground, improvised shelter, and comforted them throughout the night. The plum line between who cares for one another clearly is not about nation or age, but is about those willing to put the time and care into keeping one another safe. The loving care of these two Latina women shows that love is the best course of action, and that with even more communication and care, we can keep all of our children safe.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Mary Austin:Luke 10:25-37
Neighbors and Strangers
The main characters in Jesus’ parable wouldn’t typically have a positive interaction, which gives us the whole juicy zing of the story. Reflecting on his own life, Parker Palmer has been musing lately on the strangers he’s met in his life.
He writes
I began as a “homeboy,” but amazing grace set me free… I grew up in an affluent, all-white, predominantly Christian suburb. I came of age in the 1950s when white America was in the driver’s seat and asleep at the wheel — so I knew next to nothing about the stunning and creative diversity of the human family. If I hadn’t been blessed as an adult with frequent opportunities to live and work with folks of diverse races, ethnicities, social classes, faith traditions, sexual orientations and gender identities, I’d probably still have the mind of a straight, white, male Christian adolescent who’s seen only a tiny slice of the world.
For him, the people he’s met have expanded his world, the way the injured man and the Samaritan do for each other. “At age 86, I would have been deprived of the many gifts I’ve received from a life spent in “the company of strangers.” And, like a lot of my white male age-mates, I’d probably be scared to death by today’s U.S.A. — a country that will soon be less that 50% white, where same-sex marriage is legal, and people have the uppity habit of insisting on their Constitutional rights. To a mind like that, the challenge diversity poses to white supremacy would most likely look like the devil’s work.” Instead, that diversity looks like grace.
* * *
Luke 10:25-37
Really, Who Is My Neighbor?
The lawyer asks Jesus a question about neighbors to trick him, and, in our world, many of us wonder about our neighbors because we don’t know them well.
Charles Montgomery, who writes about cities in his book Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design, says that the time we spend commuting to work erodes our connections with our neighbors. He says:
It is a neighborhood’s place in a city, and the distance its residents travel every day, that make the biggest difference to social landscapes. The more time that people in any given neighborhood spend commuting, the less likely they are to play team sports, hang out with friends, watch a parade, or get involved in social groups. In fact, the effect of long-distance living is so strong that a 2001 study of neighborhoods in Boston and Atlanta found that neighborhood social ties could be predicted simply by counting how many people depend on cars to get around. The more neighbors drove to work, the less likely they were to be friends with one another.
Distance raises the cost of every friendly encounter. Let’s say that you and I want to meet for an ice-cream cone at the end of our workday before heading home for dinner. First we both must chart the geographic area each of us can reach in that time. Then we must see if our territories intersect. Then we need to figure out if the journey to and from a rendezvous point in that zone leaves enough time to make the meeting worthwhile.
The injured man and the generous Samaritan meet on the road. Paradoxically, for us, the less time we spend on the road, the more connections we can have with other people.
* * *
Luke 10:25-37
Silent Kindness
As the parable of the kind Samaritan illustrates, we don’t have to know someone for our entire lives to meet and have an impact.
Aya McMillan recalls that right after she turned 39, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The news came after a series of other losses, including the death of her dog and the end of a long romantic relationship. “I have to say that that was probably the loneliest period of my life,” McMillan said. After the diagnosis, she had a series of tests and scans, most of which she went to alone. Her last hurdle before surgery was an MRI that included a double biopsy.
She explains, “For those that don’t know, [that procedure] essentially forces you to lie face down into what feels like a very loud coffin and you’re asked to stay totally still as two horrifyingly large needles are injected from each side in tandem…My head was hurting from the cradle. My body was cold and cramping, and through the speaker, the technicians were pleading with me to stay still just a few minutes longer.”
Then, when it came time for the biopsy, she started to panic. She was just about to hit the button that would tell the technicians to stop the procedure when she felt a hand on her back. “Someone was gently running their palm in a circular motion to soothe me the way a mom does with her child,” McMillan recalled. “Those few minutes of physical contact, at a time when I felt like I had lost all my bodily autonomy, that was what got me through the biopsy.”
McMillan was face down for the procedure, so when she emerged from the MRI, she had no idea who had comforted her through the ordeal. But she says she’ll never forget that act of kindness. She says, “Suffering can feel like such a singular experience. My unsung hero didn’t just show me that I wasn’t alone. [They] helped me feel it. And for that, I am forever grateful.”
* * *
Colossians 1:1-14
Not Despairing
The writer of this epistle could write about despair, and how hard it is to spread the good news in the world. Instead, the writer lands firmly on the side of thanksgiving.
Author Cole Arthur Riley, who struggles with a debilitating autoimmune disease, knows this same feeling. She writes, echoing this letter, “Practicing wonder is a powerful tool against despair. It works nearly the same muscles as hope, in that you find yourself believing in goodness and beauty even when the evidence gives you every reason to believe that goodness and beauty are void. This can feel like a risk to those of us who have had our dreams colonized, who have known the devastation of hope unfulfilled. I once heard the Japanese artist Makoto Fujimura say, “The most courageous thing we can do as a people is to behold.” This gave me great empathy for those who have lost their wonder. For myself. We are not to blame for what the world has so relentlessly tried to crush in us, but we are endangered because of it.” (from This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us)
Even in danger, even in despair, we’re invited to thanksgiving and awe.
* * * * * *
From team member Chris Keating:Deuteronomy 30:9-14
It’s not so hard
Deuteronomy reminds the people of Israel that God’s commandments really aren’t so hard. They’re not far away (30:11-13), but are already within our mouths (v.14). They are especially easier than sorting out all the rules and obligations owed to Canaanite deities. I should have remembered that the time I tried to get ice cream without my family’s knowledge. The infamous tale is known in our family as “The Time Dad Tried to Roll Through Dairy Queen.” We were cruising our way through Georgia, trying to get to Florida before dinner. I’d been seeing billboards for Dairy Queen for the last ten miles. After quickly determining that all four kids and their mom were asleep, I pulled over and made my move. I pulled up to the drive-through and whispered my order. With my large, dipped cone in my hand, I started to exit the parking lot when I got made. The jig was up: our nine-year-old woke up and declared, “Hey! I want ice cream, too!” Her words rang out like Paul Revere’s cries, signaling her siblings’ and mother’s attention to my deceit. “What do you think you’re doing?” my wife said. “I guess turning around and buying everyone ice cream?” I replied. “That’s a good answer,” she said, reminding me of my obligations to ensure domestic tranquility. Ice cream was purchased and we were soon back on the road, assured of the Lord’s delight in all we do. Or should have done. It was easier than I had imagined.
My ill-thought-out plan of procuring ice cream while everyone slept became a lesson about doing the right thing and a reminder of God’s grace. Doing the right thing (and buying ice cream is nearly always the right thing) is not so hard. Grace, despite our resistance, is not hard, either. Writer Anne Lamotte reminds us that grace “is spiritual WD-40, or water wings. The mystery of grace is that God loves Henry Kissinger and Vladimir Putin and me exactly as He or She loves your new grandchild.” It’s easy to remember, a reminder Lamotte says that trusting God often means “me running out of good ideas.”
* * *
Luke 10:25-37
Not only “Who is my neighbor?” but perhaps “Who is the narcissist?”
Amy-Jill Levine insightfully corrects anti-Jewish interpretations of the Parable of the Good Samaritan. In her classic book, Short Stories by Jesus, Levine notes that the tendency to explain the negligence of both the Levite and the Priest is often based on the wrong assumption that they are following Jewish purity laws. (See Levine, pp. 98-100). Levine points out that the man was not dead, and in any case, the Law “required that both men attend to the fellow in the ditch, whether alive or dead, for one is to ‘love the neighbor’ and ‘love the stranger’ both.” (Levine, p. 101).
She concludes:
The best explanation I’ve heard for the refusal of the priest and the Levite to come to the aid of the man in the ditch comes from Martin Luther King, Jr., who preached: ‘I’m going to tell you what my imagination tells me. It’s possible these men were afraid….And so the first question that the priest and the Levite asked was, ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?...King went on, ‘If I do not stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to them?’ Whatever the motives of the priest and the Levite, King is correct. They, like the lawyer, thought only about themselves, not about the man in the ditch.
* * *
Luke 10:25-37
The cost of not caring for our neighbors
Officials assessing last week’s heartbreaking flooding in Texas are scrutinizing factors leading to at least ninety deaths, including many children who were attending summer camp. County officials have said that preventative measures, such as a public warning system, were not in place because such measures are expensive. County Judge Rob Kelly said residents won’t foot the bill for alarm systems. “Taxpayers won’t pay for it,” Kelly told the New York Times. He said he had no idea if people might reconsider that in light of last week’s flood.
* * *
Luke 10:25-37
Immigrants are neighbors, too
As Amy-Jill Levine and other interpreters emphasize, there is only one answer to the lawyer’s question of Jesus. The story leads us to see the universality of Jesus’ welcome and God’s expansive love. The question, says Levine, “’Who is my neighbor?’ is about the limits we place on God’s love. It is a “polite way of asking, ‘Who is not my neighbor?’ or ‘Who does not deserve my love?’ or even ‘Whom can I hate?”
Rising fears over immigration tend to support Levine’s premise. President Trump’s immigration czar Tom Homan praised the recently passed “one big, beautiful bill” because of the $170 billion earmarked for detaining and deporting immigrants. Homan said the money is necessary to buy more beds for detainees. “The more beds we have, the more bad guys we arrest,” said Homan. (Many reports dispute the Department of Homeland Security claims of how many immigrants are violent criminals.)
Polls conducted by Pew Research Center report that nearly one-third of American adults believe immigrants who entered the United States illegally should be deported, while half of Americans say some should be removed. Yet those numbers are tricky, and forming a clear summary of American viewpoints is difficult.
A recent Gallup poll finds that about 70 percent of Americans favor providing immigrants a path toward U.S. citizenship. But Gallup notes that coming to any conclusion is difficult.
One researcher suggests that perhaps politics and cultural views make these conversations more difficult. Reflecting on a sign in her neighbor’s yard that stated, “No matter where you are from, we’re glad you’re our neighbor,” Meredith Lehman poses that the arguments over immigrants have become too complicated. “I found myself wondering then, as I wonder now, when compassion had become so complicated. It seems everyone has become preoccupied arguing over the minutiae of immigration that they’ve missed the most glaring and essential point: We are neighbors.”
* * * * * *
From team member Nazish Naseem:Amos 7:7-17
The Plumb Line: A Symbol of Accountability and Truth
Imagine a skilled builder standing before a towering wall, a key structure designed to withstand the test of time. In the builder’s hand is a humble yet powerful tool a plumb line. As it hangs straight and accurately, it reveals the imperfections in the wall, urging the builder to make adjustments and ensure that the integrity of the structure is maintained.
This image vividly captures the essence of Amos 7:7-17, where the prophet Amos receives a divine vision from the Lord, symbolized by that very plumb line. The hanging line, not just a tool but a powerful symbol, represents God’s unwavering standard for righteousness, serving as a reminder to the people of Israel of their departure from these divine expectations. Like the builder, they are called to evaluate their lives, align their actions, and restore their moral foundations.
As the narrative unfolds, we witness a confrontation between Amos and Amaziah, the priest of Bethel. Picture the tension in the air as Amos stands boldly, words like arrows aimed at complacency, while Amaziah, representing the authority of the day, demands silence in the face of uncomfortable truths. This clash illuminates the struggle between the truth that needs to be spoken and the resistance that often arises from those entrenched in power. Amaziah’s pushback encapsulates the human inclination to protect the status quo, to avoid the disruption that truth can bring.
Yet, Amos remains undeterred, asserting his identity as a shepherd chosen by God to sound the alarm. His voice, carrying the weight of divine authority, echoes through time, challenging us to examine our foundations.
In our communal and national lives, we too are invited to hold up our plumb lines. What does it mean to live according to a higher standard? Where do we see ourselves diverging from the principles of righteousness? The plumb line beckons us to reflect deeply on our character, our choices, and the very foundations upon which we build our lives and communities.
In these moments of scrutiny, the call to accountability rings clear. Just as the builder must ensure every part of the wall is genuine, so too must we align ourselves with the divine standards. These standards, such as honesty, compassion, and justice, challenge and reshape our perceptions. In embracing this challenge, we open ourselves up not only to transformation but to the possibility of a society that reflects justice, integrity, and truth.
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Psalm 25:1-10
Nurtured by Faith: Sarah’s Journey to Finding Purpose
In a small, sunlit room filled with soft pastels and stuffed animals, a young girl named Sarah sat quietly on her bed, clutching a worn teddy bear. She often stared out of the window, watching children play in the neighborhood, their laughter echoing like a sweet melody. But within her heart, a sharp ache lingered—the longing to be a mother one day.
Despite the shadow of despair that loomed, Sarah’s courage shone through. Her parents’ words, often echoing in her mind, were like a bolt of lightning, but she refused to be defined by them. She felt like a withering flower, yes, but one that was determined to find the sunlight, even in the darkest corner.
One day, feeling overwhelmed and worried, Sarah turned to her faith for solace. She opened her Bible, seeking guidance. As she flipped through the pages, her eyes landed on Psalm 25:1-10. “To you, O Lord, I lift my soul,” she read aloud, her voice trembling. In that moment, she realized that she could release her burdens to God, just as the psalmist did. She crawled into her cozy bed, closed her eyes, and began to pray, pouring out her heart, her fears, and her dreams.
“Show me your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths,” she whispered through tears. In that moment of vulnerability, she felt an unexpected warmth, a comforting embrace that she knew could only be from God. She envisioned a future filled with possibilities, perhaps not in the traditional sense of motherhood, but in ways that she had not yet imagined.
As the days passed, Sarah’s prayers and reflections brought her peace. She realized that while her journey might not follow the path, she initially envisioned, God was guiding her in ways that could lead to joy and fulfillment. She started volunteering at a local children’s shelter, where her nurturing spirit blossomed. The children thrived under her care, and it filled her heart with a sense of purpose that she had never experienced before.
Through this experience, Sarah discovered that accountability and truth were integral to her journey. Psalm 25 taught her that even amid disappointment, she could seek God and trust in His plan. She discovered that motherhood could be defined by love, compassion, and the relationships she built, rather than just biological ties. In the depths of her soul, she found hope, knowing that God had a beautiful purpose for her life, one that she was still unfolding with each passing day.
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Colossians 1:1-14
A Heart of Hospitality: The Transformative Power of Compassion
In Punjab (Pakistan), my father, who has been in ministry as a teaching elder (Pastor) for 38 years, gave us multiple examples of living with a heart full of compassion for others. His humble home was more than just a dwelling; it was a sanctuary for anyone in need. He believed in the power of faith, love, and hospitality as cornerstones of his ministry.
As a child, I experienced having strangers in our house, especially Christians who were travelers who needed shelter for a day or two, were lost, or had missed their train or bus. A couple of times, when I questioned my father, he always responded, ‘We are here to present Christ.’
One evening, the doorbell rang, and when I opened it, a young boy asked me if this was the Pastor’s house. I called my father, and later, a man who looked lost and exhausted, carrying only a small bag, entered our home. Without hesitation, my father invited him to stay at his home. “You are welcome here, brother. We have food, shelter, and fellowship to share.” In that moment, my father was not just a Pastor, but a guide and mentor, leading the traveler towards a path of faith and love.
That night, as we sat around the dinner table, Pastor shared stories of his faith and how the love of Christ had transformed his life. He spoke of the richness of God’s grace, as described in Colossians 1:12, illustrating how they were all called to share in the inheritance of the saints. The traveler listened intently, his heart stirred by the transformative power of love and faith, which filled him with hope and inspiration, and inspired him to carry on his journey with renewed faith and love.
The Pastor prayed for the traveler’s journey, asking God to provide strength and guidance. In the morning, before traveling, the traveler felt a deep sense of belonging, having experienced the very essence of Colossians 1:1-14, being uplifted through love, prayer, and the assurance that, regardless of their backgrounds, they were united in Christ. In that single act of hospitality, the Pastor not only welcomed a stranger but also embodied the transformative love that God calls all believers to share. This transformative love is a love that changes hearts, heals wounds, and inspires hope. It made the traveler feel not just welcomed, but truly included and part of a larger community, a community that welcomes all with open arms and love.
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Luke 10:25-37
A Modern Good Samaritan Tale
In a bustling city, a hospital stood, its walls weary from the burden of the pandemic. Inside, the air was thick with tension, as healthcare workers rushed about, donned in masks and protective gear, a silent testament to the struggles they faced daily. One of those workers, a cleaner named Maria, had dedicated her life to keeping the hospital tidy and safe for patients and staff alike.
One afternoon, the clergy member from Pastoral Care asked to offer “Last Rites” to the patient at the family’s request. His intention was noble; he was there to offer prayers and support to the sick. As he moved through the halls, he surveyed the bustling wards filled with patients fighting the virus. Approaching a patient’s room, he hesitated at the door, letting the fear of the unknown creep into his heart.
Inside, a patient lay struggling, connected to machines that beeped rhythmically. The clergy, feeling the weight of his position, instead chose to stand outside the room, praying silently. He wanted to help but was overwhelmed by caution and doubt, pondering the risk of entering a space so laden with illness. His heart was torn between his noble intention and the fear of the unknown, a battle that raged within him as he stood outside the room.
This moment was not lost on Maria and other environmental staff, like her. She passed by the clergy, while he stood frozen in his apprehensions. She donned her N95 mask, gloves, and gown. She entered the room with unwavering determination, her heart full of compassion and courage that not only inspired all who witnessed her actions but also instilled a sense of inspiration and courage in the audience, reminding them of the bravery that lies within each of us.
Maria navigated the small space, cleaning surfaces and ensuring everything was sanitary for the recovering patient. She hummed softly to herself, a melody of hope amidst despair. As she worked, she spoke kindly to the patients on ventilators, offering words of encouragement and comfort. Her actions, though seemingly small, had a profound impact on the patients and their loved ones, who felt the warmth of her care and the reassurance of her words, a testament to the profound effects of small acts of kindness.
When she finished her task, Maria stepped back out of the room, where the clergy still stood, deep in thought. He witnessed the care she gave, recognizing a profound truth: sometimes, love requires action over intention.
Feeling inspired, the clergy approached Maria, who had just changed the room’s atmosphere with her simple yet profound act of service. “Thank you for your bravery,” he said, his voice filled with newfound understanding and respect. His heart, once filled with caution and doubt, now brimmed with admiration and respect for Maria’s selfless service. Her actions had not only comforted the patients’ families but also transformed the general perspective of the society of her and other “Essential workers” set. The clergy’s experience was a testament to the transformative power of compassion, instilling a sense of hope and optimism in the audience, and reminding them of the brighter future that lies ahead.
In that moment, the cleaner, Maria, helped the clergy recognize that true compassion transcends titles and professions. It is a universal language that everyone can speak, and it flourishes in actions, in choices made on behalf of those in need, regardless of the risk involved. This realization fosters a sense of connection and unity in the audience, reminding them that they too are part of this larger community, bound together by our shared humanity and the power of compassion. The audience is not just a passive observer, but an active participant in this narrative of compassion and resilience.
As the narrative of the Good Samaritan came to life within the hospital walls, it served as a poignant reminder that in the face of adversity and fear, it is often the simple acts of kindness and dedication that truly make a difference. Maria and the clergy both left with a renewed sense of purpose, ready to face the challenges of the pandemic with a community spirit that reflected the essence of love and service. This story serves as a testament to the importance of compassion and action during challenging times, inspiring the audience to act with kindness and recognize the value of all individuals. Let this narrative be a call to action, a reminder that we all have the power to be a Good Samaritan in our own way, and that even the smallest acts of kindness can have a profound impact.
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WORSHIPby George Reed
Call to Worship
One: Give justice to the weak and the orphan, O God.
All: Maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.
One: Rescue the weak and the needy.
All: Deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
One: Rise up, O God, judge the earth.
All: All the nations belong to you!
OR
One: God calls us, one and all, into the divine embrace.
All: We rejoice to be held in God’s loving arms.
One: God invites us to measure our lives by the plumb line of love.
All: We know we fall short but we accept the challenge.
One: God made us all from the same earth and breath.
All: We will open our lives to all God’s children.
Hymns and Songs
All Creatures of Our God and King
UMH: 62
H82: 400
PH: 455
GTG: 15
AAHH: 147
NNBH: 33
NCH: 17
CH: 22
LBW: 527
ELW: 835
W&P: 23
AMEC: 50
STLT: 203
Renew: 47
All People That on Earth Do Dwell
UMH: 75
H82: 377/378
PH: 220/221
GTG: 385
NNBH: 36
NCH: 7
CH: 18
LBW: 245
ELW: 883
W&P: 661
AMEC: 73
STLT: 370
Let All the World in Every Corner Sing
UMH: 93
H82: 402/403
PH: 468
GTG: 636
W&P: 49
There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy
UMH: 121
H82: 469/470
PH: 298
GTG: 435
NCH: 23
CH: 73
LBW: 290
ELW: 587/588
W&P: 61
AMEC: 78
STLT: 213
Hope of the World
UMH: 178
H82: 472
PH: 360
GTG: 734
NCH: 46
CH: 538
LBW: 493
W&P: 404
We Meet You, O Christ
UMH: 257
PH: 311
CH: 183
W&P: 616
The Gift of Love
UMH: 408
GTG: 693
AAHH: 522
CH: 526
W&P: 397
Renew: 155
Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life
UMH: 427
H82: 609
PH: 408
GTG: 343
NCH: 543
CH: 665
LBW: 429
ELW: 719
W&P: 591
AMEC: 561
What Does the Lord Require (of You)
UMH: 441
H82: 605
PH: 405
GTG: 70
CH: 659
W&P: 686
Lord, Speak to Me
UMH: 463
PH: 426
GTG: 722
NCH: 531
ELW: 676
W&P: 593
Shine, Jesus, Shine
CCB: 81
Renew: 247
We Are His Hands
CCB: 85
Music Resources Key
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
GTG: Glory to God, The Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELW: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day/Collect
O God who is love:
Grant us the wisdom to use your plumb line
and measure all things by your love;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We praise you, O God, because you are love. Out of love and for love you created all that is. Help us to use that plumb line to measure our lives so that we might always act in love. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
One: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins and especially when we fail to act out of love.
All: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We say you are love and that loving you and our neighbors is the heart of your commandments. Yet we fail to act out of that love. We allow greed, selfishness, and pride to draw us into unloving acts that hurt others. We divide people into groups and label some worthy and some unworthy. We have failed you, others, and ourselves. Forgive us and renew your Spirit within us that we may truly measure our lives by the plumb line of your love. Amen.
One: God’s plumb line of love is true. God’s love is offered to all. Receive God’s forgiveness and share God’s love with all.
Prayers of the People
We praise you, O God whose plumb line is always trustworthy and true. You set the standard of unconditional love to support us and lead us.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We say you are love and that loving you and our neighbors is the heart of your commandments. Yet we fail to act out of that love. We allow greed, selfishness, and pride to draw us into unloving acts that hurt others. We divide people into groups and label some worthy and some unworthy. We have failed you, others, and ourselves. Forgive us and renew your Spirit within us that we may truly measure our lives by the plumb line of your love.
We give you thanks for inviting all of us into your family. There are no outsiders to you and we are blessed to know this. We are grateful for the opportunity to welcome all your children into our loving care. We thank you for those who welcomed us into the Body of Christ.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We lift up to you those who have felt rejected and pushed aside by others. We pray for those who have been judged because they seem to be in a certain group. We pray for those who risk so much to reach across the divides that have been created to keep people apart.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
Hear us as we pray for others: (Time for silent or spoken prayer.)
All these things we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ who taught us to pray saying:
Our Father....Amen.
(Or if the Our Father is not used at this point in the service.)
All this we ask in the name of the blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
* * * * * *
CHILDREN’S SERMONPutting God First
by Tom Willadsen
Deuteronomy 30:9-14
The gospel lesson for today is the Parable of the Good Samaritan. I’m focusing on this week’s alternate Old Testament reading because it’s a nice tie-in, a kind of foundation for the parable, which I’ll assume the preacher will focus on today.
The lesson from Deuteronomy comes at the very end of the Torah, and the very end of Moses’ life. He’s giving final instructions to the Hebrews as they’re on the verge of becoming the Israelites. He reminds them of God’s commandments and that if they obey God’s laws things will go well for them.
When the expert in the law asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life, Jesus asked the expert what the Law said. The expert answered correctly, citing Deuteronomy twice.
But the expert pushed a little harder, he wanted extra credit — or to prove that he was “righteous” or to “vindicate himself as the NRSV has it.
Jesus then answered the expert’s question with a story.
Jesus and the expert knew the law very well. It was the foundation of their heritage, identity, and education. It was not far away. They did not have to go looking for it. They did not have to fly to heaven or cross the sea to know the commandments of their God. It was in their hearts. They knew right from wrong.
That’s what Moses is telling the Hebrews/Israelites. You already know what God wants you to do. It’s no mystery.
Remind the children who have come forward — and everyone else in worship today, that they already know right from wrong. They should not lie, steal, or kill. They should put God first.
The hard part is doing all those things.
The scandalous part is that in Jesus’ parable — it was a Samaritan who did them!
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The Immediate Word, July 13, 2025 issue.
Copyright 2025 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
