A Second Parable on Domestic Violence

A Parable On Domestic Violence 2

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

    “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

  He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

    “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

  But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

  In reply Jesus said: “A woman in town who was known for being friendly loving and kind seemed to change a few months after she met her fiancé. She started wearing long sleeved clothes in the summer and sunglasses indoors. She became nervous and afraid, especially when she was with her fiancé.

She made lots of phone calls to check in with her fiancé because he “worried” about her. She missed parties and family celebrations because her fiancé had made other plans for them.

When she was with her fiancé, he told stories about how clumsy she was and of the many stupid things she did.

Her pastor noticed the changes and thought about saying something, but felt it was up to her to ask for help.

Her friends at work talked amongst themselves about what they thought was going on, but kept their distance. They didn’t want to appear nosey.

But a lady ( a stranger) at the grocery store saw the bruises on the woman’s side as she lifted her arms to get something off the top shelf at the grocery store. She went right to her and asked her if everything was alright. She touched the woman’s trembling arm and told her she knew where she could get help. She gave her a card with a phone number on it and she wrote her phone number too. And she told her, when she was ready, she could help her get the help she needed. And she was willing to get her that help that very moment if she was ready. And she drove her to a safe place and called for help.

“Which of these do you think was a neighbor to the woman?”

  The expert in the law replied, “The one who wasn’t afraid to say something.”

   Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

by Rev. Sandi Hire

A Parable on Domestic Violence

A Parable for Domestic Violence

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

    “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

  In reply Jesus said: “A woman was coming to church every week, many times with bruises on her arms and an occasional black eye almost hidden by makeup. She was quiet and reserved and tentatively smiled when spoken to. She brought her children with her most Sundays but never stayed for any of the activities after the service, she always had to go right home. On the Sundays her husband would come with her, she was even more quiet and withdrawn and kept her eyes focused to the floor.

One day the woman came into the church even more disheveled than usual. Her hands shook and she winced when she walked to her pew. No one said anything to her, as they didn’t want to get in her business. The pastor shook her hand and looked over her head to say hello to one of the other members and didn’t notice her tears. The head of the woman’s group pointed out to another friend how awful the woman looked that day and wondered if something was wrong- but didn’t say anything to the woman.

A few days after that a member of the prayer group called the church office to report that a prayer request had been made for this woman who had been severely beaten and was being picked up at home by an ambulance. The outlook wasn’t good.

The police had arrested her husband and he was in handcuffs on his way to the police station.

Which of these do you think was a neighbor to the woman?”

The expert in the law said, “No one. No one had mercy on her.”

Jesus said, “Go and do better.”

by Rev. Sandi Hire