Bethlen Évkönyv, 1993-1996 (Ligonier)

Dr. Laslo M. Medyesy: Diakonia for the 90's, Revisited

me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. ” (2:14-18)

Certainly, Christian faith journeys do start with faith, the recognition of God’s loving presence in one’s life. This faith at one point, however, will come to fruition when, according to the Great Commandment, one will love not only God with all one’s heart, mind, soul and strength, but shall love his or her fellow neighbor also as oneself. But who is a neighbor and how such a love may be demostrated? These issues did surface during one of the latest monthly meetings of the Eastern Seaboard Hungarian Reformed Ministerial Association in New York. It was suggested, during a lively debate, that the definition of neighbor should be limited to our kind of people, to those who share our values, our religion and status in life. Consequently in such reasoning love may be displayed only within those limits we consider appropriate.

Fortunately these fundamental, soul searching questions were addressed to Christ himself. Instead of giving a long rabbinical explanation of relevant Scriptural passages, he replied with the moving story of the Good Samaritan. (Luke 10:29-37) In it both the definition of a neighbor and the ways and means of a helping commitment are given. Jesus purposefully introduced all the major characters in the story: the priest, the Levite and the Samaritan. The listener instantly knew what these men represented, because of their faith, nationality, even social status were revealed. But the identity of the victim is not mentioned. We know him only as a man who fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, leaving him half dead. Accordingly, everyone in real need, regardless of race, sex, religion, social class, or national origin is a neighbor and the extent of the good work expected of us must be in proportion to the need of that fellow human.

The major difference between the Samaritan and the other actors was that he had compassion, and such a concern that he interrupted his journey, inconveniencing himself. His act of love, his diakonia was perfectly appropriate to the situation: “went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on them oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ” He delivered not only short term care, but ac68