March 11, 2019 - Simply Not A Good Player!

I often write about the idea of being “good players” or what “good players” look like… or what a “Total Player” looks like…


I have shared it in the past, but it bears repeating… when we discuss good players, we discuss what they do right… not what they don’t do wrong… for instance we talk about scoring, rebounding, assists, and maybe even defensive prowess. But other than maybe when discussing an assist-to-turnover ratio, we rarely discuss what a player does wrong when talking about good players… In other words, we don’t brag about our favorite players by saying something like, “He is great! He doesn’t travel, double-dribble, or foul a lot…” Those things may be true, but not what we take note of…


When Jesus was talking with some folks in Luke 10, He was confronted and asked who our “neighbor” is when the Great Commandment says to “love your neighbor as yourself”? He was being asked this by a very religious man that would have looked like a really good church guy… not doing a lot of stuff wrong.


I bring this up, because somewhere along the line we began bragging on Christians based upon what they avoid… “He’s a good boy… he doesn’t drink, cuss, smoke, or chew… or go with girls who do!” I’m not trying to make light of these things… “he” is a smart boy to not do such things; but it doesn’t make him a “good player.”


The guy confronting Jesus felt good about his “righteous” lifestyle and his adherence to the command to “love his neighbor.” Yet, the culture allowed for the “neighbor” to mean just those that were like him… of the same breeding… of the same mindset… cut from the same cloth. And Jesus proceeded to give a whole different picture of what a “good player” looks like.


Jesus described a neighbor as someone that would not only help someone in need but would also go the extra mile sacrificing for that one’s needs… regardless of who the one in need is. In fact, Jesus went as far as making the “good player” in His story someone that was typically considered an enemy of the Jewish people… despised by them.


I just preached on this passage last night and find myself wanting to go into great detail at what an incredible parable this is that Jesus shared; but the bottom line is this: If you claim to be a “good player” on Team Jesus, it is measured not just by what you don’t do… but by how compassionate you are to others.


And in all honesty, this is easy to teach/preach, but is hard, time-consuming, uncomfortable, and at times frustrating to live out. BUT Jesus said that we should be compassionate to those in need. If our lives are not characterized by serving others, we are not “good players.”


Luke 10:36 So which of these three do you think was a neighbor to him who fell among the thieves? (Jesus’ question following His parable)


10:37a And he (the guy questioning Jesus) said, He who showed mercy on him.”


10:37b The Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”


Be compassionate my friends!