Politics for People Who Hate Politicsਨਮੂਨਾ

In the book of Luke, Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan in response to a lawyer who was looking for a loophole in His definition of “neighbor.” In that story, the Samaritan, an avowed enemy of the hurting Judean, dropped everything he was doing and gave his own time and money to prioritize a man who was, in every sense of the word, his mortal enemy.

Our hero was particularly controversial to those in Jesus’s audience because Jews and Samaritans hated each other for centuries. Their enmity stemmed from political and religious division among the tribes of Jacob and devolved into national and racial differences later. The Good Samaritan broke every social norm. He didn’t allow any excuses to prevent him from helping someone who was hurting, despite their differences. He could have easily crossed the street like the others. But instead of turning his back, the Samaritan nursed the Judean back to life and bridged their division with love.

At the end of the story, Jesus instructs the lawyer to “go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37). While we may not stumble across a mugged Judean, we constantly cross paths with people we’d consider our enemies who are in emotional, financial, physical, and spiritual pain. By tending to their pain like the Samaritan, we can help bridge our division with love, tenderness, and care.

Reflection: What steps can you take today to love someone whose political ideologies are vastly different from yours?