Receiving

"Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" (Luke 10:36)

Maybe we should rename this parable how God sends help, or vulnerable, or do we get to pick and choose who helps us and how do we receive that?  We are so familiar with this parable and there is a good lesson about how do we treat our neighbor on the road, the one who needs help we overlook this question.  Thank you David Lose (http://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?post=2628) for pointing this out.  What if we ask ourselves the other question though?  This one above.

We have to be the man who is on the road, beaten, naked, totally vulnerable.  We don't get to choose who helps us in our time of trouble.  The lawyer would have felt more easy about the Priest or the Levite being his rescuer and yet it is the one Jews regarded as less than, the ones they would not want to touch them, a Samaritan who helps.  When responding the lawyer can't even name the character who helps (a Samaritan was the neighbor) saying only "The one who showed him mercy" as the answer (Luke 10:37). 

Who is the person we wouldn't want to help us?  Can we receive God's help when it comes in whatever way it comes?  What does it feel like for us to be vulnerable and open to God?  Can we be broken open to receive all God's good gifts?