The Good Samaritan - remixed...

There was a person in need, and the crowds were passing them by, sometimes on the other side, sometimes stepping right over them. Some of them would feel guilty – but it was in the moment, and quickly something else occupied their minds. Afterall they did a lot of good in other ways, they weren’t responsible for this, couldn’t be responsible for all the needs of the world.  They were only human afterall.

Then the Samaritan passed by, and stopped, and picked up the one in need. Took them to the inn, but found that he didn’t have enough to pay for his care.  The Samaritan wanted to help, began to help, but in the end didn’t have the means to do what he had begun to do. What does he do then?

To abandon the one who you have picked up from the roadside seems so much more of a sin than merely passing them by. In stopping, in beginning to care, the Samaritan chose to take responsibility, having picked up the buck it becomes an active decision to lay it aside. 

The Samaritan sought to pass on the needy one to specialist care, but what if there was no room at the inn or the inn cost too much? What would the Samaritan do then? What if walking away having started to get involved is not an option, but finding the solution is also not an option?

And what happens next time the Samaritan passes someone in need? Will he think twice about helping? Maybe those others were not as hardhearted as they are painted, maybe they knew they had not enough to give. Afterall we are taught that to return to burning building to help someone is not good – it can end up giving the firefighters 2 casualties to rescue instead of one.

Maybe the parables are simple stories to make a point – and real life much more complicated. Maybe what looks like the right thing to do isn’t? And that goes for when you are the Samaritan and when you are a passer by.

So how do we respond to the overwhelming needs of a hurting world, yet survive ourselves – not becoming additional casualties in need of rescue? And how do we deal with the guilt of having a lot yet being too frail to reach out to those in need?

Strangers are friends not yet made...

I have guests at the moment, not people I knew personally beforehand. I have more than enough physical space in the church owned house.

What is hospitality? Sharing the bread we have, actually I get back a lot too, my overgrown garden mown, others sharing the cooking... 

But there is the balance - keeping safe, as a woman alone welcoming the stranger is a serious matter, not to be done without care.

And yet -
I think back to all the times I have lived with people not of my choosing, and often strangers. From university flat allocation to when I arranged a 6 month unpaid 'job' in a church in Australia in exchange for bed and board.  Actually since I was 18 I have only lived alone for 5 years, and with 4 years back at parents that leaves over a decade living with people I didn't choose, people who were strangers at first. Of course some of that was with a locked personal room but I also remember the times that people welcomed me into their homes.  Ok I may have come with references, a student on a placement etc, but I was still a stranger.

And those who care about my wellbeing now were glad of the welcome I recieved in other places. Is there inconsistency there? Not really because then they worried about me going into a stranger's place, now they worry about the strangers coming to my place.  Sometimes those who love you are simply born to worry.

But if by welcoming others I can pass on the grace and hospitality that I have been shown by strangers then that chain of grace can carry on.

Whilst being wise to real risks we must still dare to care.

Who am I? What Am I?

I haven't posted for what seems like ages and ages, it has been one of those manic times when if I do get to draw breath then I'm sorry blogging is way down the priority list after sleeping, eating and yes a glass or few of wine.

But this busyness has highlighted some of the weirdness of being a minister. I have had a huge range of roles since I last wrote - from solar panel arranger, through community librarian to taking RE classes in school and helping at youth club....and somewhere along the line sunday services, a funeral and other minister type stuff.

I have joked with people about this constant shift of identity between different jobs - most of which the training to be a minister doesn't cover - and pointed out that at least life is never boring when each day is so different.  However stability is an important thing in life too, and predictability and routine help structure our lives. Emotionally and in terms of mental energy it is good not to have to make all the day's decisions anew every day.  Just pause and consider all the potential choices from the time you wake up until you go to sleep - if you didn't have habits from your usual breakfast cereal onwards it would be exhausting. Whilst lack of variation would be mind-numbingly boring, constant change is not the answer - like most things in life it is all a matter of balance.

Of course I am in a crowded corner living with this constant mix of identities - any parent knows this too, or if you are balancing your life and caring for an older relative, or someone else.  So many people juggle complex expectations that are emotionally, physically and mentally exhausting, and the effort involved in the gear shifts between roles can take an enormous toll on people's wellbeing.

What is the answer? It would be nice to simplify life, but reality means that is not going to happen. So the question is how do we protect ourselves from the strains of a complex life?  I don't have an answer for you, you will have to find your own, for me it involves a pyjama day with out guilt, or space to be creative.  Each person has their own recharge buttons - but if we don't force ourselves to build them into our crazy lives somewhere then we are likely to go pop sooner rather than later.

Having lived through a breakdown I do not want to face another experience that dark - and if you can be motivated to care for yourself without that direct experience then do it. But even with it I find I have manic times where piles of 'things that have to be done right now' all crash into the same week or month. Is it out of my control? or do I simply allow them to have control? Either way - 'Hello Pot, I'm Kettle'!!

I started with the title 'Who am I? What am I?' - when we can no longer answer these about ourselves, rather than just in relation to other people or roles, then it is a sign we need to find respite, and to find ourselves again.