Back in January of last year we sat through a few sermons from Shane Clayborne, one of our heroes in this Kingdom journey, as part of a conference on International Urban Ministry. Great teaching, great conference. A year later we are still clearly chewing on it.

Shane’s primary text was the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Recently, I listened to a Heidi Baker sermon on the same text online. Our modern day heroes of the faith like these use phrases like “the dying man” on “Jericho Road” (a place of danger and risk) and call us to stop and see, and then respond to the needs of the man or woman helpless in the gutter, along our path.
A few weeks ago, Iven was heading outside to do some computer work at a coffee shop and there was a man looking sick and passed out right next to our back alley door. Given that our job is to “not pass by”, he got some water and tried to rouse him enough to drink a little bit and make sure he was not in need of medical attention. Iven was sitting there next to the groggy and pained man, reeking of alcohol, while the busy street food shop with all its customers and workers looked on. A woman we know well from a neighboring shop came over to Iven and lowered her voice to say that while the man was passed out she saw a woman come and take his stuff. She didn’t do anything about it, mind you, she just watched him get robbed while he laid unconscious on the sidewalk. No doubt several other people did the same.
We live on Jericho Road.
Heidi Baker, Shane Claiborne, and our family may have real-life gutters and real dying people on the streets where we live and work. But all of us as Believers are called to walk, see and stop to listen, heal and bind up the broken-hearted, those wounded in body and in spirit.
What places of risk does God want to lead you into?
As you walk on your own Jericho Road, what does God want to open your eyes to see?
Who does He want to lead you to stop for, to touch with hands of healing and mercy?
Ask Him, and He will surely invite you to be His hands and feet on your own corner and in your own community.