ouglit to be that the Lord Jesas Christ is. not like man ! His kindness and love are unfailing. He never dis- appoints any of His friends. Happy are they who have learned to say, " my soul, wait thou only upon God ; ^y expectation is from Imn." (Psalm Ixii. 5.)
We are taught, secondly, in this parable, who they are to whom we should shew kindness, and whom we are to lave as neighbours. We are told that the only person who helped the wounded traveller, of whom we are reading, was a certain Samaritan. This man was one of a nation who had "no dealings" with the Jews. (Johniv. 9.) He might have excused himself by saying that the road from Jerusalem to Jericho was through the Jewish territory, and that cases of distress ought to be cared for by the Jews. But he does nothing of the sort. He sees a man stripped of his raiment, and lying half dead. He asks no questions, but at once has compassion on him. He makes no difficulties, but at once gives aid. And our Lord says to us, " go and do thou likewise."
Now, if these words mean anything, a Christian ought to be ready to show kindness and brotherly love to every one that is in need. Our kindness must not merely extend to our families, and friends, and relations. We must love all men, and be kind to all, whenever occasion requires. We must beware of an excessive strictness in scrutinizing the past lives of those who need our aid. Are they in real trouble P Are they in real distress P Do they really want helpp Then, according to the teaching of this parable, we ought to be ready to assist them. We should regard the whole world as our parish, and the whole race of mankind as our neighbours. We should seek to be
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the friend of every one who is oppressed, or neglected, or afflicted, or sick, or in prison, or poor, or an orphan, or a heathen, or a slave, or an idiot, or starving, or dying. We should exhibit such world-wide friendship, no doubt, wisely, discreetly, and with good sense, but of such friendship we never need be ashamed. The ungodly may sneer at it as extravagance and fanaticism. But we need not mind that. To be friendly to aU men in this way, is to show something of the mind that was in Christ.
We are taught, lastly, in this parable, after what manner^ and to what extent we are to show kindness and love to others. We are told that the Samaritan's compassion towards the wounded traveller was not confined to feelings, and passive impressions. He took much trouble to give him help. He acted as well as felt. He spared no pains or expense in befriending him. Stranger as the man was, he went to him, bound up his wounds, set him on his own beast, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. Nor was this all. On the morrow he gave the host of the inn money, sajdng, " take care of him, and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again I will repay thee." And our Lord says to each of us, " go and do thou like- wise.''
The lesson of ,this part of the parable is plain and unmistakeable. The kindness of a Christian towards others should not be in word and in tongue only, but in deed and in truth. His love should be a practical love, a love which entails on him self-sacrifice and self-denial, both in money, and time, and trouble. His charity should be seen not merely in his talking, but his acting.