Four Travelers On A Road (Allegory)

This story is simply that - a story, it is not a theological statement. Like any story, especially an allegory, it is supposed to get you thinking and to start a conversation. Part of that conversation will continue tomorrow with a commentary on this story.

One day, four travelers met on the road. As they spoke with one another, the travelers realized they were all traveling to the same destination.

“Maybe it would be beneficial for us to travel together, to help one another in the difficulties that lie ahead” suggested THE FIRST TRAVELER.

THE SECOND TRAVELER said, “I will only be traveling on this road when I am not appearing on my television show, recording my radio show, promoting my books or not previously booked for a speaking engagement. At those times, I will travel this road with you. Allow me to speak a blessing over you---.” With that THE SECOND TRAVELER left to attend to his various ministries.

THE THIRD TRAVELER said, “I will travel this road, since it has been ordained by God that this is my path. If it is God's will that this is your path as well, we will travel this road together.”

THE FOURTH TRAVELER said, “I will travel with you all as well – as long as there is no appearance of evil. Will you be drinking or dancing on this path? I cannot be near that for it may weaken my testimony.

So, the travelers set out on their way, walking beside one another, but not really together. THE FIRST TRAVELER walked the path, THE SECOND TRAVELER only joined them on the path when he wasn't busy attending other matters and THE THIRD and FOURTH TRAVELERS always seemed to walk the path a few paces away from everyone else.

They walked along and eventually came upon a homeless man, sitting beside the road begging for money. As they approached, the homeless man said, “Spare any change?”

THE FOURTH TRAVELER thought to himself, “I cannot give him any money, he may use it to buy drugs or alcohol. Besides, we are called to be good stewards of our finances and giving my money to this man is not a wise investment.” He said to the homeless man while tightly clutching his wallet, “I'm sorry, I have none to spare.”

THE THIRD TRAVELER pondered on it for a moment and considered various Bible verses and teachings on the poor. He thought of his own church and the people there who were less fortunate and decided that helping God's people was more important. To the homeless man he said, “I don't have anything for you now, but come to my church. Hear the Good News and we will take care of you.”

Without much thought, THE SECOND TRAVELER said, “God wants to provide for you! He wants you to have everything you need, and more! 'My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus!' For a small seed gift, I will give you this Living Water^TM. This is the Living Water of God, it will sustain you and if you truly have faith, God's blessings will flow forth!”

THE FIRST TRAVELER took what little money he had and gave it to the homeless man. “I don't have much, but you can have it. You look cold too, please take my coat to keep warm. Your shoes look worn through, and I am sure it is not easy to walk with them. Take my shoes so you may walk more comfortably. If I have anything else you may need, it is yours, just ask.”

The homeless man thanked THE FIRST TRAVELER and the travelers were on their way.

For awhile their travels were uneventful. THE SECOND TRAVELER, true to his word, would often leave to attend his own affairs only to return some time later. As the travelers walked along in awkward tension, sometimes they spoke with one another. Even when they were in agreement, which wasn't as often as they pretended, they still harbored a secret suspicion that the others had a fundamentally flawed view of their journey. Occasionally, they would rest from walking and eat with one another, but more often they just continued to walk next to one another, but not really together.

After awhile they were able to see a city down the road. As they approached, they could see some of the buildings had collapsed and fires had broken out in various places. Even nearer, the travelers could hear cries and screams of the people – some who needed help and others grieving for the dead. They continued walking and it became clear the city had suffered a devastating earthquake.

THE FIRST TRAVELER sprinted into the town and began removing rubble, searching for the injured.

From his television studio, THE SECOND TRAVELER, appeared on a news broadcast about the tragedy. He was asked what his part in the relief efforts were. “Obviously, we want to help. I see my part as spreading the word that help is needed and inspiring my viewers and listeners to be a part of that relief effort. At our revival meetings we are setting up 24-hour prayer rooms to pray for the victims of the earthquake and we are believing God for miracles. In fact, people who have taken our Miracles Class^TM are now being mobilized to go there and heal the injured, raise the dead and preach the Word of God. We have already been blessed by prophecies that God will pour out his Spirit in the wake of this tragedy and use it to bring people into the fold.”

Standing at a distance, THE THIRD TRAVELER said, “The movements of the earth are God's alone to command. Neither 'Mother Nature' nor Satan himself have the ability to move the earth without God's say-so. It is God's will for the earth to quake. And we, as people of God, must tell the world that this and every earthquake is God's divine warning for a corrupt people to repent and commit their lives to Jesus.”

Just outside the city, THE FOURTH TRAVELER shouted at rescue workers racing in to help, “Your moral depravity has brought this upon yourselves! You kill millions of babies and you wallow in your sexual depravity, but God will not be mocked! Like Sodom and Gomorrah God has brought upon you the consequences of your sin.”

The travelers wanted to continue their journey but THE FIRST TRAVELER was no where to be found on the road, so the others set off without him. THE FIRST TRAVELER stayed behind, continuing to help in the rescue efforts. When the injured and dead were accounted for, THE FIRST TRAVELER helped with the clean-up efforts. When all the rubble had been cleared, THE FIRST TRAVELER stayed to help rebuild the city. Finally, after some time, the city had been restored and THE FIRST TRAVELER set back out on the road.

Because of their other commitments, the other three travelers had not moved very far down the road. THE SECOND TRAVELER came and went in the name of expanding his ministry. THE THIRD AND FOURTH TRAVELERS progressed slowly, THE THIRD from the fear of a misstep, THE FOURTH because he often went out of his way to avoid walking with people he did not agree with.

Down the road, they encountered a woman dressed lasciviously on the side of the road. The woman asked if she could travel the road with them.

“I welcome any company on this road,” said THE FIRST TRAVELER, “You can travel with us for as long as you like.”

THE FOURTH TRAVELER loudly admonished the woman for stirring lust in the hearts of men. “Harlot! You should cover yourself, you have a responsibility to your brothers on this road to keep their thoughts pure.”

To the woman THE THIRD TRAVELER said, “Yes, cover yourself! Your dress invites men to attack you. If you had a man traveling with you this would not happen. You should not be traveling this road alone for it is dangerous and you need a man to navigate it for you. God has set up man and woman to travel the road together – the man leading and the woman helping.”

THE SECOND TRAVELER said to the woman, “I can help you. Take my Christian Leadership^TM class, and then I will hire you as my secretary.”

The travelers continued down the road and at last came to a large gate in front of a magnificent city. At the gate other travelers from many places waited to enter. At the entrance sat a man, simply dressed and carrying nothing. Some travelers rejoiced, greeting the man at the gate by name. Other travelers were confused and did not recognize the man. They looked around for the man they were expecting at the gate. Whether the travelers recognized the man or not, all were greeted by name and the gates to the magnificent city were opened. Upon entering the city, many of these travelers looked lost and confused.

They said to one another, "Who are these people?" and "This is not at all what I expected."

The New Samaritan

"A man on his way from Atlanta to Greenville was robbed and severely beaten at a rest area. The thieves even stole his clothes and left him for dead lying on the sidewalk and drove off in his car.

As it happened, a fundamentalist pastor happened by that way and saw the man but he thought there was a good chance the man was dead anyway and the pastor was on his way to go soulwinning so he really couldn’t spare the time. Instead, he carefully stepped around the guy making sure not to get his wingtip shoes bloody and hurried away — muttering about how if conservatives were in charge of the government this sort of crime wouldn’t happen nearly so much.

A few moments later, a fundamentalist deacon passed by the same way but he observed that the man was immodestly clad and wondered how it might affect a Baptist deacon’s testimony if someone saw him near the wounded man and assumed it was the appearance of evil. So he too carefully stepped around the wounded man, hiking up his khaki pant legs to avoid the gore and went on his way.

But then along came an atheist, lesbian Democrat who taught Women’s Studies at the local community college and drove a Prius. And she saw the man and took pity on his plight. She called him an ambulance and sat with the wounded man and held his bruised hand until the paramedics came. Then she followed him to the hospital and handed them her Visa card and said “Whatever he owes on his bills you can charge it to me. And if he needs anything here is my cell phone number just give me a call.”

Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?

Go and do likewise."

From: http://www.stufffundieslike.com/2011/05/good-neighbors-a-fundamentalist-parable/

Here's why this is so good: To understand the importance of Jesus' parable of the good Samaritan, you have to understand the attitude Jews had towards Samaritans - they hated them. Samaritans claimed to practice true Judaism, not the altered version that they say emerged after the Babylonian exile. Samaritans even had their own temple on Mount Gerizim. (for more see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samaritan#The_Tension_between_the_Samaritan_and_the_Jews)

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

10:25 Now an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 10:26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you understand it?” 10:27 The expert answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” 10:28 Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

10:29 But the expert, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 10:30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him up, and went off, leaving him half dead. 10:31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, but when he saw the injured man he passed by on the other side. 10:32 So too a Levite, when he came up to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 10:33 But a Samaritan who was traveling came to where the injured man was, and when he saw him, he felt compassion for him. 10:34 He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 10:35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever else you spend, I will repay you when I come back this way.’ 10:36 Which of these three do you think became a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 10:37 The expert in religious law said, “The one who showed mercy to him.” So Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

Needless to say, this challenged the established religious authority in Israel - the socio-political and economic order. In American society, a society so religiously arrogant that it sees itself as the moral authority, who is the Samaritan? Who do the religious authority view as socio-political and economic enemies? I think "an atheist, lesbian Democrat who [teaches] Women’s Studies at the local community college and [drives] a Prius," fits the bill.

What's the point? The point is Christians are called to love, to be a neighbor and to the credit of all my atheist, LGBT, Democrat friends, the "Samaritans" are doing it better.