July 11, 2004

Sixth Sunday of Pentecost

Luke 10:25-37

“Building Porches” 

     Somewhere along the way I got the crazy idea I wanted to specialize in church reorganization.  The UCC Board of Homeland Ministries sent me off to Iowa for some training and I came back all charged up and ready to give it a go.  Of course, reorganization was the last thing the church I was serving at the time needed, but they were a very forgiving bunch and decided to humor me.

     My approach at the time was to initiate an interview process where members of the church meet one-on-one and ask each other about their faith journeys, concerns, hopes and dreams.  After we gathered this information we discussed the results.  During this discussion, one of the older members (his name was Gervaise Eck) offered this reflection; “You know what’s wrong with the world today? - people aren’t building porches on their houses anymore.  People used to visit on their front porches, now we don’t even know who our neighbors are.”

     “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” a man asked Jesus one day.  Jesus asked him what the Scriptures said and the man replied, “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 your neighbor as yourself.”  “That’s the right answer,” said Jesus, “Do this and you will live.” 

     “But who is my neighbor?” the man pressed further.  The Bible tells us that by this question he wanted to “justify himself”, wanted to prove he was living right.  But Jesus responded to his question in a way that would have turned a first century Jew’s understanding of right and wrong upside down.  He told a story about Jewish religious leaders (a priest and a Levite), ignoring a man in need but a non-Jew, a Samaritan, acting in a truly faithful and loving way as he reached out to the suffering stranger.  Christ’s message was simple and clear: people who are right with God do not keep to themselves within their personal, social, political or religious boundaries, but see no boundaries when there is human need.  They see those who suffer as neighbors and as a consequence become the best of neighbors themselves.

     Isn’t it sad, that even after all these years since this story was first told, we still have problems reaching past our boundaries?  Some even build walls in God’s name, lashing out at those they consider different.

     We catch a glimpse of God’s unconditional love in the story of the Good Samaritan, a love that we’re supposed to reflect in our own lives.  Our lives might be sidetracked, we might be afflicted and in need, we might be victims of prejudice or abuse, but with no questions asked God stops and kneels at our side, loves us and lifts us up with the renewing power of the Holy Spirit.  Trusting God, our souls are opened to the wellness God gives. 

     What a gift this is! – love that reaches the darkest and deepest hurts of our inner beings.  We are rescued, saved and healed and thus equipped to go into the world and do likewise.  And God knows…the world could use some Good Samaritans today.

     This little collaboration we have going between our two churches is an indication of the good things that can happen when people begin to see each other as neighbors.  We’ve always had a lot in common, but in some ways we’ve been living on our respective sides of the fence for about 170 years.  Now, we’re beginning to dismantle that fence so we can build porches out of it.  We’re bringing our faith more to the front of the house, out from behind the walls and arborvitae and are more directly relating to each other and as a consequence, the community we are called to serve.  We are doing this even though we may feel at times that those strange, “other folks” are getting too close for comfort! 

     It would be easier, of course, to stay behind our walls and define our neighbors as those who are already on our side of the fence.  This would be less threatening and require less change!  But it seems we’re beginning to wonder if such an attitude (even if it is 170 years old) falls somewhat short of the love of God and neighbor Christ requires.  Perhaps unlike ever before, we are now becoming Good Samaritans for each other.

     Of course, we don’t know exactly where all this will lead, but we can know we’re doing the right thing when we reach out with God’s love to one another as neighbors. 

     I think old Gervaise would be pleased to see us building porches like this.  Who knows, if we keep this up, there could be less wrong with the world some day soon.