Some
years ago an advertising campaign suggesting that giving someone your last Rolo (a tasty chocolate and toffee sweet) was the ultimate act of love was voted the second most romantic TV advert
ever. It was a clever idea linking the
concept of genuine love with a sacrificial act. Sometimes I have publicly
commented a man who truly loves his wife allows her to have the TV remote
control! Real love is always seen
through actions.
Most
people know about the parable Jesus told about a Good Samaritan but most
probably do not know just how much the Good Samaritan did for the man he found
beaten up by robbers. Firstly, he risked
his own safety by stopping to help. Then
he used his own resources to stop the bleeding and prevent infection. Then he transported the injured man to a
local inn (no hospital in those days) where he stayed up all night looking
after him. In the morning he gave the
inn keeper enough money for the man to be looked after for around two months,
and followed this by telling the innkeeper that if caring for the man cost more
he would pay the difference on his next visit.
The irony is that normally Jews and Samaritans did not get on!
The
story was told to illustrate genuine love for our ‘neighbour’, and reminds us
of the amazing love God has for each of us. In a all too often selfish world in
which parting with a last Rolo (or the remote) is a challenge, we could do with
more loving deeds. I imagine that the
injured man would want to know the name and shake the hand of his generous
benefactor. Perhaps we too should find a way to express our gratitude for the act of love for us God the Son demonstrated on the cross.
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