So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. Luke 10:32 NIV
Music is the canvas of my life. Whether I’m reading, running, watching TV, listening, or talking, there is always a tune playing in the background of my mind. Since my internal radio has no off switch, you can spy me rocking, swaying, tapping my toe, or sometimes even directing the music unaware. It’s common for me to associate music with most things.
When I think about the parable of the Good Samaritan, I always associate it with the song Walk On By, made popular in 1964 by Dionne Warwick. She sang of a broken heart and instructed her man to just walk on by if he saw her. She still loved him, but was unable to control her raw emotions. I wonder if God, loving us so dearly, is disheartened when we take paths outside his will. It’s possible the song on his mind that moment, is In The Garden, reminiscent of a time when he walked in the cool of the day, in perfect harmony with Adam and Eve.
Jesus instructs us to love God with all we have, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. When asked, “Who is our neighbor?” he tells the parable of the Good Samaritan. It’s about a man who is in dire need after being robbed, and the Good Samaritan who eventually stops to help.
Considering the Priest and the Levite, who chose to walk on by, I wonder if they felt too important to get down in the dirt and help. They were headed out of town, their church responsibilities completed for the day. Maybe they were just anxious to finally have some time for themselves. We live in a hectic world and can surely understand the need for down time.
With the heart of a gentle Savior, Christ reminds us his love flows through us to others. We are his hands and feet in this world, his ambassadors. Dearly chosen, not to pass by on the other side, but to make music with those he puts in our path.
The Good Samaritan didn’t have the breeding or station of his predecessors. But he appeared important; he had business to tend, money to offer, and the ability to direct. Still he stopped, showed compassion, and left with the promise of return. This is the heart of Christ: the symphony he orchestrates, with us as the instruments. When we are in harmony with Christ, we play well with others.
Let your life sing in harmony with God.
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