Who Will Fix the Road?
“On the one hand we are called to play the good Samaritan on life's roadside; but that will be only an initial act. One day we must come to see that the whole Jericho Road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed as they make their journey on life's highway.” Martin Luther King Jr.
Breaking the Ice:
The story from Luke begins with a question for Jesus, if given the chance what question might you have for Jesus?
Reflection:
In Luke 10:25–37, Jesus offers a vivid parable of a man beaten and left for dead on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. The Samaritan’s mercy takes center stage, but the story also nudges us to ponder: Why is this road so perilous to begin with?
Historically, the road to Jericho was known as a steep, winding descent—about 3,300 feet downhill across 18 miles—surrounded by desert terrain and hidden ravines, making it ideal for ambush. Jesus could have chosen any path for this parable, but He chose this road, steeped in real risk and danger. That choice adds weight to the mercy shown: the Samaritan didn’t just help a man; he did so in a place where he could have been harmed himself.
This raises deeper questions for us today. What are the “roads to Jericho” in our communities—systems, neighborhoods, or histories marked by neglect, harm, or even violence? Are we only asking, “Who is my neighbor?” when crisis hits… or are we also asking, “Why does my neighbor keep ending up on such a dangerous road?”
This is a key question we have been trying to answer – especially when it comes to the connection between food insecurity and housing. In other words, why are so many working families struggling to put food on their tables? How might we address the systemic realities that make it more likely for our neighbors to experience neglect, harm or even violence?
Many times, we focus on the particular individual actions of the three people in the story – the priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan – without focusing on the systemic issue of the dangerous road. Why is the road to Jericho so dangerous in the first place?
This focus on individuals and not systems can lead to what Bob Lupton calls Toxic Charity. As described on his website, “At its core, Toxic Charity is trying to address chronic ongoing issues through one-way giving. It often looks like this: people with resources give to those who lack resources. This kind of giving approaches inequity as though the core issue is that people don’t have the same amount of “stuff.” Of course, we know that inequity is much more complex than an imbalance of resources. It’s a symptom of something larger. But Toxic Charity often ignores that complexity. As a result, it can end up making the recipients of charity objects of pity.”
Two examples of systemic issues in our current reality are racism and poverty.
What does this have to do with the Parable of the Good Samaritan? Well, we need good Samaritans in the world! We need folks who show compassion for others. But we also need to ask why the road to Jericho is so dangerous in the first place. Why do people keep getting hurt on this particular road? Why do people fall into poverty?
We need to help individual people in poverty and pain respond to the larger systems that create poverty and the imbalance of resources. Jesus consistently invites us to meet people where they are and come alongside them to work together and bring the change that is needed. Perhaps Jesus’s parable about the Good Samaritan is meant to raise these issues for hearers:
- It criticizes the religious leaders who did not show compassion.
- It raises the possibility that our enemies might end up with the capacity to be our neighbors.
- And it brings up the systemic issue of how a whole system might be contributing to the people getting hurt on the road to Jericho.
Let's continue to be motivated by compassion and help people in crisis, recognizing that someone we perceive is our "enemy" may also be our neighbor, AND let's also work together to advocate for the change that is needed to build a better, safer road!
Wrestling with the Word:
Read Luke 10:25-37
- Look at the characters in the story: the priest, the Levite, the Samaritan, the man who was beaten. Who might these people be today?
- Where in your own experience have you encountered differences that deterred you from helping others?
- What are the “twists” in the story that you feel are most significant?
Next Steps:
- Martin Luther King Jr. that said that the first question the priest and the Levite asked was, "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But the Samaritan asked, “If I don’t stop to help this man, what will happen to him?” What is the difference?
- Think of the person or group of people you find hardest to love … maybe it’s because of culture, politics, religion, wealth, social status, lifestyle choice, how has this lesson challenged you to show love.
Pray:
As we take a moment to pray, first consider the Jericho Road in our own context. Where does it exist in Fairfax County and / or Northern Virginia? How might we begin to transform our own community to one of safety and hope?
God of all our journeys, too often we are so consumed by our own agendas and comfort that we miss seeing those in despair around us. Give us the courage to open our eyes, open our lives, and open our churches to those who are suffering on the road of life. May we be your hands in both healing and rebuilding a new road. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.