Friday, September 3, 2010

The Man Who Fell Among Thieves

by Maribeth Wright Curry on Sunday, August 29, 2010 at 3:22am

The sermon of the Good Samaritan
Is always about the Rescuer
And the awful people who ignored
The Man Who Fell Among Thieves.

Why doesn't anyone talk
About the man?
The man who lay there
For who knows how long?

No one talks
About his fear, his loss, his pain.
About how hard it was to watch
People ignore him again and again.

Is this the first example of abuse
By those charged with protection?
The priest, the Levite- and all the others
Who pretended he wasn't there?

No one preaches on it
Because no one wants to admit
The person lying there,
Distraught and in anguish- exists.

People ignore those in pain,
Or they gossip about them,
Or 'correct' them, try to
Disciple them

But no one seems to bother
To put themselves in their shoes
And experience the loss and pain
They feel again and again.

Are Christians the worst?
Maybe, maybe not-
But the pain they inflict on
Others is excruciating.

When it's doled out to those
Who were ministers
Whose lives only existed to serve others
Who knows, who cares?

It's so easy to 'forget'
The ones who lie on the road.
To let the weeds grow up around them
Pretend they aren't even there.

Then along comes a Samaritan?
Who is that?
Is there a Samaritan somewhere
For me?

So when I'm done
And nearly gone
Who hears my cry
Or shall I die?

13 comments:

  1. I think this piece is a jewel!
    The insights from his perspective, the one who has fallen..the one who is ignored..beautifully said and written.
    Have you written this recently?
    I see by the date it was last Sunday. Wowzers!
    I think that it is often overwhelming for "others" to try to step into the shoes of we who have/are currently suffering.
    It is intimidating, and honestly, I doubt it is possible to really step into that world if no ties to similar experiences exist.
    Most "others" don't want to know..most disbelieve, try to put a bandaid over gaping wounds.
    Most of my acquaintances shun me.. those who have a cursory knowledge of me, and I hope they don't even try, because they won't "get it" only judge me for "not getting over it.".
    Elie Wiesel, survivor of The Holocaust produced a documentary...one which began with these words of advice...
    "This document is not created so that you can understand; it is created to show you that you will never understand."
    I really think most people will not "get it" but also, don't want to get it.
    It's why we need to stay close to each other and offer comfort where we can...to each other.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yeah- powerfully said- we walk the same path but with a VERY wide median between our lanes!
    Love you dear sister, Thanx for the encouragement.

    Did u see my post about embracing lies?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Just read your post on talking too much. My not talking was because of shyness then it was reinforced by a husband who never thought anything I said was important and who told me I was boring. I always knew I was boring. So then we break up and I am suddenly able tot alk and desperately needing to. Now I don't know when to stop and DD2 is constantly being urt by my repeating things she tells me. I work hard not too but like your Mum I just share it with one or two others always saying "don't tell anyone else". I really need to work on this and find other things to talk about and make me less boring. Cherrie

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Maribeth,
    No I did not see that post.Would you please direct me to it?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Viv- it's on my fb: Here's what it says: When people militantly embrace lies as truth, they bind themselves to the lie and the father of lies, no matter what they pray- they cannot be free because the TRUTH shall set them free!
    Speaking mostly in reference to the church situation but applies everywhere I guess.... may blog on it...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Cherrie, you can talk to me anytime 8^)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Cherrie- you are so creative- you husband was purely blind!!! I can't imagine being with you and not wanting to hear what is going on in the head of yours! I think you've had too many boring listeners!!!
    How can anyone God created be boring?
    I love your spirit just from your creations and writing!
    blessings, m

    ReplyDelete
  8. God talks all the time! Through nature, music, babies’ laughter, His Word being read somewhere every second... That's amazing and very comforting for us, women longing for communication :)
    I've read all your posts, Maribeth. You're a wonderful woman, so open to share intimate reflections! Thank you for that!
    Never stop talking, girls! There's always One who is interested.
    Many blessings.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am the one who fell among thieves
    and I am the woman at the well
    I am the leper, the crippled, blind beggar
    I am the sinner who fell.

    While shunned by the religious, the boastful and proud
    the beautiful, rich, and renowned
    my broken Savior hung naked on a cross
    wearing a thorny crown

    He bore my diseases, my insanity too
    for He came not to condemn, but to save
    now I am a Saint clothed and in my right mind
    and I've been given a brand new name.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh Yaaay, I finally figured out how to change my name/id from ''Complex-PTSD'' to ''Coming Out of the cRaZy Closet!'' I've been trying for the longest time to change that, because not too many people are familiar with C-PTSD, but everybody knows what "crazy" means!

    I'm going to go to sleep now, but will read the rest of your blog tomorrow. It's amazing to me how much we have in common.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I wrote a piece, " I didn't know I was Mephibosheth" awhile ago- need to find it and post- the broken feet- the crippledness-
    Yet due to expectations, I spent my life hobbling along broken feet ignored- then feeling guilty because of the repercussions of that brokenness.

    ReplyDelete