February 9, 2024

 My first thought in reading this parable had nothing at all to do with the real point Jesus was trying to drive home.  But I do think it’s a point worth talking about.  “Don’t go alone.” The road from Jerusalem to Jericho is about 17 miles.  It is a curvy, descending road through fairly rugged and rocky terrain.  It was a perfect place for robbers to hide and attack travelers and was even known as a dangerous road.  The man in Jesus’ story made a mistake that many people make.  He thought he could navigate it without a problem all by himself.  He was wrong.
 It made me think of so many conversations I’ve had with people who tend to isolate themselves.  Life is hard.  It is a tough road to walk at times, even when you’re surrounded by people you trust.  But when you try to navigate life by yourself, you leave yourself wide open for trouble.  The Enemy, like the bandits in our parable, loves to catch people who are alone.  It’s easier to get them to succumb to temptation when they’re by themselves.  It’s easier to get them discouraged when they’re alone.  When they’re isolated, it’s easier to get them to believe that no one cares about what they’re going through or that no one wants to hear about their troubles.  The Enemy has a field day preying upon people who isolate because he can fill their heads with lies, exaggerations, and despair.  Like the man in our story, the Enemy can leave us half-dead.  Or, at least, wishing we were.
 Don’t do life all by yourself.  Cultivate some healthy relationships with other believers who can go on the journey with you.  Get in groups where you can share your fears, share your struggles, and yes, even share your temptations.  Find some friends who can watch your back while you watch theirs.  The man in the story might still have been attacked even if he had some others traveling with him.  But the odds are he would have come out of it a lot less beaten up.  Same with you.  Walking with others won’t stop every bad thing from happening, but it will give you people who can comfort you, encourage you, help you, and pray with you.  Life is dangerous.  Don’t go alone.  That’s God’s Word for you today.