For Good Samaritans' Eyes Only

Each Day, We Must Each Choose To Act Like A Priest/Levite Or The Good Samaritan. 

• Read Luke 10:25-37 www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10%3A25-37&version=NCV

If we are honest with ourselves, the truth is that most days, we probably have more of the heart of the priest or levite than the Good Samaritan.  Why?  We miss so many real opportunities to show God's love and mercy to those in need because we are locked inside of boxes or prisons.  These boxes or jail cells my be our schedule, our budget goals, or fear that if we help go out of our way to help a little, that we will become overwhelmed with the needs and find ourselves drowning and in need of Good Samaritans ourselves.  Here are some ideas to help us be Good Samaritans more frequently and with more confidence.

1. The Good Samaritan Was Generous Within Boundaries

• The Good Samaritan sacrificed a few days income, but he did not lose his career or home in the process of helping the brutalized traveler.  
• He put the traveler in an inn and under the care of the innkeeper instead of bringing him to his own home.  In those days, the inn and innkeeper would have been the equivalent of a hospital, a shelter, or some other situation in addition to being a motel/guest house.  
• The Good Samaritan disrupted his schedule for a couple of days but he returned to his regular employment as soon as possible.  On the other hand, the priest and levite made sure that they arrived at "church" (temple/synagogue) on time.  

2. The Good Samaritan Was More Concerned About Being An ANSWER to prayer than being a Prayer Warrior

• The Priest and Levite were professional prayer warriors.  They may have even prayed for the wounded traveler, as they walked away.  There is no mention in the text that the traveler or the Good Samaritan (or anyone) prayed.  But, the priest and levite would have prayed, "Here I am!  Lord, send SOMEONE ELSE to help this man!"  But the Good Samaritan would have prayed, "Here I am! Lord, send ME!"  
• James 2:14-17 says: Faith and Good Works "14 My brothers and sisters, if people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing. Can faith like that save them? 15 A brother or sister in Christ might need clothes or food. 16 If you say to that person, “God be with you! I hope you stay warm and get plenty to eat,” but you do not give what that person needs, your words are worth nothing. 17 In the same way, faith by itself—that does nothing—is dead."

• Sometimes we can only pray that God will meet others' needs miraculously.  God can literally rain manna from the sky or even from strangers' pockets.  However, many times God wants us to pray about how much of the fish and bread that Jesus has already put into our hands miraculously (through miraculous jobs, careers, and investments) to share with them.  The more we share the bread and the fish, the more it multiplies and spreads the Gospel around the world.   

​​​A Final Note:
I have been a faith missionary to Cambodia from 2000-2003 and 2007 to present with my wife and son.  We are facing the most severe financial shortfall of our entire missionary careers.  Unless God raises up more real-life Good Samaritans, before the latter part of 2019, we will be forced to reduce our ministries to take secular jobs in Cambodia or end our mission work to take secular jobs in the USA or Japan.  We really need cheerful, monthly, sustainable Great Commission Partners. Please pray about whether God is calling you to be a Good Samaritan to us so that we can continue to be Good Samaritans to many others in and launching from Cambodia.   

For more information please visit:
 www.internationalfishers.com/eternal-impact/record-family-2019-financial-update  

​www.internationalfishers.com/eternal-impact/i-went-so-that-you-could-stay-you-stay-so-that-i-can-go

E-mail your questions to darryl@sgwm.com or evidencecambodia@gmail.com

Waiting God To Send More Real Life Good Samaritans,
Darryl