Restoring The Hurting

   Exodus 21:18-19 says,  “If men contend with each other, and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist, and he does not die but is confined to his bed, if he rises again and walks about outside with his staff, then he who struck him shall be acquitted. He shall only pay for the loss of his time, and shall provide for him to be thoroughly healed.”
This would seem like a reasonable response and the proper way of reconciliation and of restoration.   If we have hurt someone then we should be responsible for compensation for their injuries.   Yet when reading these verses I can’t help but think of another man in the scriptures who gave help and direction for a wounded man to be taken care of, provided the money, and was completely responsible for facilitating the injured man’s recovery.  In Luke 10 we have the example of the Good Samaritan.  Though this Samaritan had not been involved in beating up or robbing the man, the Samaritan man took upon himself the full responsibility of providing medical needs and recovery, to the same extent as if he personally was responsible.  The Samaritan bandaged the wounds, pouring oil and wine on the lacerations, he sat the man on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. Then he gives the command for the innkeeper to ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’  Though not knowing the man, the Samaritan cared for Him as if he was obliged to by the  Old Testament law.
   This man whom the Samaritan was helping was not a man who lived next door, he was not a work college, he was not a family member, nor a friend.  The robbed man was just someone whom God had allowed to come before the Samaritan through the circumstances of life.
   Which hurting and wounded people does God allow you to come into contact, through the everyday course of your life?  The thought behind this is not to show what level we are to restore those whom we have wounded – though that would be a good point, but rather to show the extent to which we should be willing to help for those whom we have no connection.  We are to help those whom God brings before us.
   As an aside, you may have noticed that in the life of Jesus, He too came and bent down (from heaven to earth) to help wounded and hurting mankind.  He also paid for the full price, taking upon Himself the cost for healing the people, even though He was not the source of the problem.  He paid as if He were the problem.
   Lord Jesus help us to live like You did, to care like You did, and to help bring healing to the hurting people around us.