The love story
The alien who resides with you
Shall be to you as the citizen among you. Leviticus 19:34
Read Luke 10:30—37
So Jesus draws me into the story. I can’t help making my own judgements. I’m looking at the beaten-up man. I’m moved. I’ve crossed a border now, and I’m letting a distressed victim set my agenda. And I’m not going to be able to walk away from some ongoing commitment, whatever it takes. This could be a troubled night. I’m going to finish up, out of this unplanned encounter, in a different place from what I set out to do with my time. Goodness knows, in fact, what will become of me, now that I have been stopped by a word of Jesus. Now that I’ve attended to someone unexpected. I’d not planned that. Where does God really want me to get to in this life?
Lord Jesus, with a word, with a story, you involve me. You ask me to see as you see. To feel as you feel. To be moved as you are moved. To open my life to another, as you open your life to my neighbour. To put my own timetable in your hands. To adopt your urgency. To move to the front door to see who is there. To put out a hand. To touch. To be among people and for people as you are. Somehow, as I pray, I know you are forming me so that I will lose myself, my fear and my safe place, and so that I will — what was it? — will love God, as you do. And love my neighbour as you do.