This past year has been an interesting chapter of my journey. One common thread that has shown up often over the last several months is the idea and practice of honor. I'm convinced that honor is a direct reflection of love, and that to the degree that love is present in my heart, that is the degree to which I will honor my fellow man, regardless of upbringing, appearance, race, etc.

Luke 10:25-37

The story of the good samaritan challenges me every time I read it. Stories have a way of sticking with us, so the percentage of remembering a story beyond the time of first hearing it seems higher than the hearing of straight facts. Therefore, this parable has a potency in its virtue that disrupts my life often, challenging me when I don't want to be inconvenienced because I've heard the story once...and it won't leave me alone.

When something won't leave you alone, it's probably wise to pay attention to what it's teaching you.

And so the story goes. A man who is beaten up and left for dead on the side of the road. People walk by, seeing him, but not really "seeing". They have no compassion for the man because, well, he's just not worth their time and in their minds, quite possibly, their thoughts tend towards "society is better off if he is dead." Maybe they have families at home on their mind or maybe they are in the middle of formulating their next sermon for church about how to become richer or how to feel good about yourself. Those self help gurus with all their expertise in religion and law and the betterment of society just walk on by. To be fair, maybe the two men who passed by were simply afraid of what would happen to them if they did help. But fear is the biggest enemy to life, so I'm not sure if that justifies their response...

In enters the Samaritan, who has earned the description of "good" throughout the ages. I'm not sure why Jesus chose a Samaritan to embody this lesson of kindness, except for that in making the compassionate one a samaritan, a race hated by jesus' target audience, Jesus was turning expectations upside down. To have a hated man become the hero of the story must have challenged mindsets. Yet, Jesus was showing the capability of man to walk in such deep love, that even when hated and rejected, he still chooses to honor and serve.

So he stops. He bandages up the man bruised and dying by the side of the road, takes him to a place where he can heal, pays for his expenses.

And in this lies the challenge that I feel--to live with honor towards everyone--even towards those who may hate me the most. because in reality, what right do I have to even be affected by hate, in light of the Cross? How can that be something that even permeates my mind when I am living in the Light and Love of God?

As love becomes the blood that courses through my veins, my thoughts are affected, and thus my behavior. A culture is created in my life, and it directs the way I behave, regardless of the inconvenience of the "situations" that present themselves to be Jesus to the broken. Why? Because the culture I carry is in essence who I am. I can't not be that person, even when the most heartbreaking things happen...

And in these thoughts I realize how cheap words are. I'm glad I could somewhat write out what has been stirring in my heart, yet it means so little as merely words. When it is lived out--that's the real mark of glory--the real supernatural.

I want to talk less and just live. Live from the heart. Live from a place of love and honor for all--where the Spirit leads me and my feet follow His. His feet are always moving towards the broken. His heart is always groaning with a longing to restore and renew.

And so I walk. Slow, steady, faithful...eyes on Him...knowing that one day I will stand before Him and I want to look into His incredible eyes of love with no regrets.