See by: Danielle Gilchrist

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

See by: Danielle Gilchrist

222 E. Redwood Street Baltimore, Maryland 21202 - That is the place I went to daily or at least five days a week for two and a half years. Located on a corner, there is a tall white building made of marble, with no sign of its business until you venture your way up to the front door. When you reach the front door it reads – Goodwill Industries Headquarters. ☺ 

This was my old Job. At this Goodwill, we sought to help those who were considered “others or those who were considered as vulnerable.”

We helped and served populations such as the poor, homeless, those who were recently incarcerated, and those who had any type of disability. Additionally, we served anyone who had been out of employment for at least six months. My specific job was to help people gain and maintain employment; get and keep a job. 

Now if you don’t know Baltimore that well, this Goodwill is located in downtown Baltimore approximately three blocks from the inner-harbor.  

As I’m sure you can remember the t.v. show The Wire or if you have paid a visit you know that Baltimore is not uhhhh . . . how should we say it. . .

Well, depending on where you are, Baltimore is no Princeton. I used to say you’re always a block away from the block because the class and demographic differences change so quickly and dramatically.  

Like many people who reside in metropolitan areas, every day I walked into the work there were homeless people outside of the building and if not nearby, in the alley next door. I looked at them every day, many times saying good morning, as I assumed it was polite to acknowledge a body – after all, I am from what’s considered the south. 

Moreover, if a person who was homeless spoke to me, I would give them my business card and encourage them to come into Goodwill and receive services. 

Until one day I ran into James Andrews, a man who was homeless. He looked at me and asked me for some money. I stopped and I stared at him with the awkward pause that I am known for (staring wide-eyed with a slow blink). I decided that the answer was no, so I proceeded to walk off.

As I was walking off Mr. Andrews yelled at me something that struck me to my core. I will never forget it. He said, “You don’t even see me.” I stopped walking and paused. 

Today I want to talk with you about the homeless, about the other, the people that we so often don’t actually see.  

The text is very strategically placed, in the passage before the Good Samaritan, Jesus says, “thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants.” Then Jesus said to the disciples “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see” (Luke 10:21). Even though at this time the disciples could not yet fully “see,” at this point made me wonder. If I am not seeing, then am I really a disciple?

In the text, the wise lawyer poses a hostile question to Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life” (Luke 10:25). With the help of Jesus’ prompting, the lawyer answers his own question. Yet, instead of heeding to the answer the lawyer wanted to justify himself. . . “I help the homeless.” “I volunteer.” “I provide pastoral care.” “I’m in seminary.” “My job helps the community.”

So, who is my neighbor?

Now, Jesus being Jesus he replies with a story. We learn that there is a man who is beaten, stripped, and robbed while lying half-dead on the ground. 

We also learn who did not actually see the men. You see the Priest was the first to pass him by. The text indicates that he may have even crossed to the other side. In his defense, the priest was more than likely a temple worker, a seminarian, a clergy person, one who didn’t want to become impure. Someone who was trying to uphold religious law. Even perhaps, someone who didn’t want to be seen conversing with a homeless man, the sick, or a person who didn’t want to risk smelling like outside or being late to their destination. So when the man was seen – he was also passed by. 

Unfortunately, as the story continues we learn that the Levite, another church-goer, does the same thing. 

But it’s the Samaritan, the despised one, the pagan, the people who were actually hostile toward Jesus, who had the capacity to feel as Jesus felt.  The Samaritan was moved with pity, he felt compassion, after seeing the injured man who was lying in the street. 

Understand this verb see, this seeing the Samaritan did, is not just a visual seeing. It is a seeing with the mind, and since we are supposed to love God with all of our mind we should consider that this love for our neighbor is not just an emotion. This love is a movement. It is a reaching out! It is a befriending of someone who is not like you, but like you; since we are all made in the Image of Christ! When the Samaritan saw the man, he was so internally moved it enabled him to have the desire, followed the action to physically move to help the man. 

So when I heard Mr. Andrews yell, “You don’t even see me.” I turned around and walked back to Mr. Andrews with tears streaming down my face. 

Unlike my encounters with people who are homeless before, I never even offered Mr. Andrews my business card. Instead, I looked at him and I saw him. I asked him what he needed, he told me just a meal.  

Mr. Andrews and I spent that evening at the nearby sandwich shop, Subway. He shared his stories with me and I remembered that this is what, brothers, sisters, siblings, and family do. Mr. Andrews prayed for me and my food. We ate and then we departed, going our separate ways. 

So I wonder who is looking at but not seeing? 

Are we ignoring those few but familiar bodies in the alley, on our street corners, or in the parks? Are we avoiding the block or the rough parts of town? As we walk the metropolitan streets are we looking at the bodies of those who are homeless and not seeing them? 

God has given us mercy and loves us dearly. Therefore, God has given us the capacity to see like God sees, move as God would move, and to love God totally and to pour out that love onto our neighbor. 

“Who is your neighbor” (Luke 10:36) Jesus so cleverly asks. The neighbor was no longer the man lying on the side of the road. The neighbor was the man who was moved and demonstrated kindness.

The neighbor is you.