Real Fear, Real Courage

Today, let’s look at a familiar story: the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Here, the problem was the fear of those who wouldn’t help the Samaritan.

The Problem: Real Danger

Of course, they had reason to be afraid. The road they were traveling was dangerous. There were always robbers and bandits there. So what happened to the man who had been beaten up wasn’t unusual. Not at all.

Now, I want you to think about a dangerous part of your own city. If you were driving in your car, and you knew it was dangerous, and you saw somebody lying on the sidewalk, would you stop? That’s what this parable is talking about.

In other words, the parable of the Good Samaritan presents the problem of fear. So how do you deal with fear in places where it’s dangerous? We all know that the message of the parable is to stop and help the man who was robbed and beaten up. But before I can do this, I have to know that God loves me, that he gives me his strength, and that what I’m supposed to do as a Christian is to help people in need.

And that’s not just somebody else’s job. That’s my job.

If I know those things, then even if I’m afraid, I might still stop to help. But if I don’t know God loves me and cares for me, and if I don’t understand that Christians are supposed to help people, I’ll always be afraid, and I’ll never stop.

So this parable is challenging us to face the problem of fear. Am I willing to trust God when life is difficult? Am I willing to trust him when life gets dangerous?

The Solution: Real Faith

Right now, in the United States, we need the witness of Christians who are willing to say, “I will trust God. I will be courageous.” Especially because of all the shootings, including here in Orlando, we are often people who are filled with fear. And that fear can keep us from reaching out to people in need, especially those we don’t know.

You see, I can only reach out to people I don’t know if I know that God is with me. And that his power is strong, and his love is stronger than my fear. If I don’t believe those things, I won’t help people unless it is convenient or easy or safe. So this story causes me to say, “Oh God, please help me with my fears. Help me to be courageous even when I am afraid.”

This story actually drives me to pray, because we live in a community where we have people in need. And it is far too easy to keep going and act like we do not see.

I need Jesus to help me see people as he does. Because he loves the people in need just as much as he does me. And if I were the one who had been beaten on the side of the road, I would want someone to stop. The scripture says, “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Matt. 6:12b).

The Challenge: Real Courage

It’s true: The Christian life can sometimes be difficult. To be a Christian calls for courage. To be a Christian calls for being generous, even when it is inconvenient. So if you have been confirmed, you have made a commitment to Jesus Christ. You count on his protection, you know the presence of the Holy Spirit in your heart, and you’re willing to give even if it is difficult.

That is the message of the parable of the good Samaritan. So the people you know? They are afraid. They are afraid of violence. Some of them support the police, and some are afraid of the police. Can you stand with them even when they are afraid? Can you give to them when they are in need?

Your community needs good Samaritans. And Jesus has given us the strength to be able to give and serve courageously.

So I would ask that we would pray together that God would help remove the fear in our hearts and continue to give us the courage to serve.

Let’s pray. And let’s move forward in faith, not fear.

How have recent events affected your level of fear? How does your faith give you courage? Share this blog and your comments on Twitter and include my username, @revgregbrewer.

(This post is an adaption of Bishop Brewer’s sermon on July 10, 2016, at Iglesia Episcopal Jesús de Nazaret, Orlando, Fla).

Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.