Be the Bridge

When I locked arms with this lady in 2022, I had no idea how she would open my eyes.

You see, I had been viewing the world through the keyhole of a very white lens. Thus, seeing only a fraction of the world’s reality. I feel like that was causing me to live at like 40% of what could be.

I was missing out on the richness of what I now refer to as the gumbo of humanity. Mixed together in a glorious stew; each part still recognizable. Not the same with even one ingredient missing.

Sadly, a wave of tragedies finally got my attention in 2020 and by 2022 I was ready for this relationship with Tasha. I also became aware that my MS Delta roots gave me a unique vantage point through which I could have some deep, raw, honest and Jesus-centered conversations about how the church has been less than unifying.

  • Latasha’s original book, Be the Bridge, became a New York Times best-seller.
  • Be the Bridge Groups have been started in several cities across the U.S.
  • Latasha’s second book allows readers to experience the racial nuances in various life settings through the eyes of a person of color.

I am honored to have been voted onto the Board of Directors at Be the Bridge. Bridging the gap between black and white feels like very significant work. Being a force for Biblical truth in today’s society is a mission Tasha and I and the rest of the staff and board all share. I would love to have you join us in this!

The Good Samaritan: A Theology of Bridge-Building

How Jesus’ Story Models the Path to Reconciliation

1. Awareness — “He saw him” (v. 31–33)

  • The priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan all see the wounded man — but only one allows what he sees to move him.
  • Awareness begins when we allow our eyes to stay open, refusing to look away from pain, injustice, or brokenness.
  • Parallel to Be the Bridge: Recognizing racial division and systemic wounds isn’t about guilt — it’s about honest seeing.

Reflection Question:
What (or who) am I tempted to walk past because it’s uncomfortable to see?

2. Lament — “He was moved with compassion” (v. 33)

  • The Samaritan doesn’t intellectualize the man’s pain; he feels it deeply.
  • Lament is compassion in motion — it’s the holy pause where we allow another’s suffering to become personal.
  • Parallel: Be the Bridge emphasizes lament as the bridge between awareness and confession — the point where understanding turns to empathy.

Reflection Question:
Have I allowed myself to grieve the stories of others — especially those unlike me?

3. Confession — “They passed by on the other side” (v. 31–32)

  • The priest and Levite embody avoidance — perhaps justifying their inaction with religion, fear, or purity laws.
  • Confession requires acknowledging the ways we too have crossed to the other side — through silence, indifference, or self-protection.
  • Parallel: Bridge-builders name personal and collective complicity, creating space for honesty and humility.

Reflection Question:
Where have I chosen comfort over compassion?

4. Repentance — “He went to him” (v. 34)

  • True repentance changes direction — literally crossing the road.
  • The Samaritan acts. He draws near, binds wounds, and lifts the man.
  • Parallel: Be the Bridge teaches that repentance is relational repair in motion — the turning toward one another that makes reconciliation possible.

Reflection Question:
What does “crossing the road” look like in my relationships, community, or work?

5. Reconciliation — “He brought him to an inn and took care of him” (v. 34–35)

  • The Samaritan’s compassion becomes relationship. He moves from a single act to sustained care.
  • Parallel: Reconciliation isn’t an event; it’s an ongoing posture — building trust, proximity, and shared humanity over time.

Reflection Question:
How can I embody reconciliation in both word and presence?

6. Restoration — “When I return, I will reimburse you” (v. 35)

  • Restoration goes beyond relief; it invests in long-term wholeness.
  • The Samaritan’s promise to return mirrors the biblical theme of redemption — love that stays engaged until the broken is made whole.
  • Parallel: Be the Bridge’s vision culminates in restorative action — transforming communities through justice, equity, and sustained relationship.

Reflection Question:
Where is God inviting me to move from awareness to restorative action?

Closing Thoughts

The Good Samaritan isn’t just a moral story — it’s a map for reconciliation.
Jesus reframes holiness not as ritual or purity, but as crossing boundaries to heal what’s broken.
Be the Bridge simply names that same gospel pattern in our modern context — see, feel, confess, turn, reconcile, restore.

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