Job Descriptions

I was just thinking: Job Descriptions

The biblical account in Luke 10 is familiar to most of us. In order of appearance, first, a priest and, then, a Levite came upon a suffering, beaten man, lying at the roadside. The priest and Levite had temple duties that cried out for their attention; half-dead men along roadsides were not in their “job descriptions,” so they moved to the “other side of the road,” in an effort to separate themselves from the needy man. Jesus included in His story another character, a Samaritan, a despised bi-racial man (a son from a Jew-Gentile union). He assisted the beaten man by administering First Aid, transporting him to a place where his medical needs could be met, and picking up the costs of his medical care.

Then, Jesus asked the question, “Who then was neighbor to him?” The Jewish law instructor replied, “He who showed mercy?” Jesus then gave the man a job description —“Go and do likewise.” Showing mercy is a part of every Christian’s assignment. We have freely received mercy, and we should freely give it.

Our television screens lit up with a story of a street corner beating in Seattle. A 15-year old was being kicked in the head repeatedly and her I-pod, purse, and cell phone were taken from her, while two “security officers” within feet of the victim merely looked on.

“The teen told investigators she thought she would be protected since the security guards were there. She says they just watched, saying they had standing orders to ‘avoid confrontations or fights’.” (newsroom.blogs.cnn.com/.../guards-watch-as-seattle-teen-is-beaten/ -)

I believe that God has placed in the wills of His created ones a “job description” that calls for a response of mercy when we see someone else suffering. It is not quite enough to “observe and report” when someone is being beaten. To remain detached in the face of someone’s suffering is not being a “neighbor” and it is not “showing mercy.”

Micah, the biblical prophet, puts it into perspective: “… O people, the LORD has already told you what is good, and this is what he requires: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8 NLT). That is the “job description” that God has given us.