The Other Side
“If thou art blest, Then let the sunshine of thy gladness rest On the dark edges of each cloud that lies Black in thy brother’s skies.
If thou art sad, Still be thou in thy brother’s gladness glad.”
There are two sides of life’s road, — the side on which are lying the wounded, the suffering, the needy, the despoiled, the dying; and the ‘’other side.” The other side is a well-trodden side. It is the easier side to go on. There is nothing to interrupt you. You do not need to lose time in stopping to help people who are sick, weak, fainting, wounded, or in any want or trouble. You will get along faster on this other side. You will save yourself a great deal of inconvenience and annoyance, and much uncomfortable feeling.
It is very trying to a man or a woman with tender sensibilities to see suffering, or to look upon one who has been injured. Some good people cannot stand it at all, — they faint when they see blood. It is hard to do anything for unfortunate people; it pains one’s kindly heart even to look at them in their distress.
So we see that the side where the suffering, the poor, the troubled, the needy, the fallen, lie, is not the easy side. It has in it much that is painful to a tender heart. It hinders one, too, in one’s journey, if one stops to do anything for the relief of these hurt ones. Then it costs, for it takes both effort and money to give any kind of effective help.
The other side has nothing on it to pain one’s sensibilities. It is said that when Marie Antoinette was riding to Notre Dame for her bridal the command was given to keep from the wayside all beggars, cripples, and ragged people, that there might be nothing in all the course to pain the gentle-hearted woman. That is the way the other side is kept. You can go that way, and nothing will distress you. There will be no appeals to your sympathy which you will be inclined to heed, no calls for your help, no hands reached out for kindness and charity. You will get along quickly; for there will be no interruptions, no loss of time in relieving any one.
The other side would seem the better side for us to take. Yes, if comfort, and speed, and the saving of our money, and earthly ease and success, be life’s real ends. But do you know where the other side goes to .? If you will turn to the twenty-fifth chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, you will see the farther end of this delightfully easy road. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels.**
That is where the other side comes out in the eternal world; for the Judge says of these people, “I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not/* They had not hurt any one, — these people on the left hand. They were not robbers. They had not wounded any one. They had tempted no one. They were good people, who had not harmed even a dog or a worm. They had only not turned aside to relieve the suffering. They had only passed by on the other side. Yet, when the veil is lifted, it seems that the other side leads to the place ‘^ prepared for the devil and his angels.”
We should not overlook the fact that the two men who passed by on the other side in our Lord’s parable were regarded as religious men of the best type in those days. They were rated as good men, — typically good. They professed to stand for God. They prayed for the people, and offered sacrifices for them. They were thought to have compassionate hearts, able to sympathize. Yet, when they were brought face to face with great and urgent human needs, they passed by on the other side.
This is our Lord’s own picture, and therefore is not in any way exaggerated. The religion of our Lord’s day was weighed and found wanting. Faith without works is dead. A true creed truly believed is life in a soul. Its essence is love, — not love to God only, for the apostle of love tells us that he who loves God will love his neighbor also. The religion of Christ never takes a man on the other side; it takes him right among human needs.
We have this fact illustrated in this same story. The priest and the Levite came, and brought no relief. Then God sent another man. This man differs from the other two. We cannot expect much of him; for he is half heathen, — he is a Samaritan. He will not do anything for this wounded Jew. But see! he is stopping. He gets off his beast, and goes over to the dying man. He speaks to him. Now he is down on his knees in the dust, trying to help him. He laves his wounds, and pours in wine and oil. Then he lifts him upon his own beast, and supports him, bearing him to the wayside inn. There he personally cares for him overnight, and when he leaves in the morning he makes provision for the man’s care until he has recovered from his wounds.
This Samaritan did not take the other side. He took the side of the suffering and needy. It cost him much. He lost time, and to a business man time is money. He put himself in danger from the robbers. He got his clothes soiled, — dusty and bloody. It was hard work for him to get the wounded man to the inn. Then it was an enemy he was helping, a man who despised him; and he had to overcome his natural aversion in showing him such kindness.
The other side would have been easier. It is always easier, less costly. People seem to get along better not to worry with benevolence and charity, not to try to be kind to the unfortunate, not to trouble themselves with attempts to rescue the imperilled, lift up the fallen, or save the heathen. Good Christian people who are active in city mission work could find much pleasanter ways of spending their time than in visiting the slums, and in working among the degraded, trying to do them good. The Christ-side is not the easy side to go on. Jesus himself did not find it easy — we know where it took him.
But we know where this side comes out in the eternal world.” Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.’’ They had taken the side where the unfortunate were, and hands and heart had joined in service.
There is a story of a company of eager runners in a race. At the very beginning there was one who led the others. There seemed no question that he would win. Presently, however, a case of distress lay in his course; and he stopped and gave relief. Again he was on his way, and well in advance, when a child’s cry arrested him, and he turned aside to give comfort. Thus continually, as he went on, he Was interrupted by need, sorrow, and distress; and to every appeal he gave instant and loving heed, leaving his chosen path to aid and to help. At last, when the race was over, he had been far outstripped by those who were less strong and swift than himself, but who had paid no regard to any cries of need on the way. These chose the other side, and reached the earthly goal, and were crowned; while he, all unknown, unheeded, unhonored, stood there wearing no earthly crown, yet the real winner of the race.
This tells the story of thousands of what are called failures among men. Those who might have won highest honors turned aside from their ambitions to do God*s work on the way. They stopped to give comfort, to lift up the fallen, to help the weak. In the race with the other men they lost, but in God’s sight they are the real winners. The other side is the world’s side; but it is not Christ’s side, nor the side of those who truly follow him.
We go our ways in life too much alone,
We hold ourselves too far from all our kind; Too often we are dead to sigh and moan,
Too often to the weak and helpless blind; Too often where distress and want abide We turn, and pass upon the other side.
The other side is trodden smooth, and worn By footprints passing idly all the day;
Where lie the bruised ones that faint and mourn Is seldom more than an untrodden way.
Our selfish hearts are for our feet the guide;
They lead us by upon the other side.
It should be ours the oil and wine to pour Into the bleeding wounds of stricken ones;
To take the smitten and the sick and sore,
And bear them where a stream of blessing runs.
Instead, we look about; the way is wide,
And so we pass upon the other side.
O friends and brothers, gliding down the years,
Humanity is calling each and all In tender accents, born of grief and tears.
I pray you, listen to the thrilling call; You cannot, in your cold and selfish pride, Pass guiltlessly by on the other side.*’