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Humble Hero
Dispel Darkness by Admitting Light
Jesus did not denounce the bigotry of those who were watching
His words to condemn Him. But by a simple story He held up such
a picture of heavenborn love flowing out to others that it touched all
hearts and drew from the lawyer a confession of the truth. The best
way to deal with error is to present truth. “A certain man,” Jesus said,
[232]
“went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who
stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving
him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road.
And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a
Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed
by on the other side.” This was an actual occurrence, known to be
exactly as Jesus told it. The priest and Levite were in the group that
listened to Christ’s words.
From Jerusalem to Jericho, the road led down a wild, rocky
ravine infested by robbers. It was often the scene of violence. Here
the robbers attacked the traveler and left him half dead. The priest
merely glanced toward the wounded man. The Levite was convicted
of what he ought to do, but he persuaded himself that the case was
no concern of his.
Both of these men were of the class specially chosen to represent
God to the people. They were to “have compassion on those who
are ignorant and going astray.”
Hebrews 5:2
.
Angels of heaven look on the distress of God’s family on earth
and are prepared to cooperate with men and women in relieving
oppression and suffering. All heaven watched to see if the priest
and the Levite would be touched with pity for human misery. The
Savior had instructed the Hebrews in the wilderness, teaching a very
different lesson from the one the people were now receiving from
their priests and teachers. He had given the message through Moses
that the Lord their God “administers justice for the fatherless and
the widow, and loves the stranger. ... Therefore love the stranger.”
“You shall love him as yourself.”
Deuteronomy 10:18, 19
;
Leviticus
19:34
.
But, trained in the school of national bigotry, the priest and
Levite had become selfish, narrow, and exclusive. When they looked