“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. Luke 10:36 NLT
Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) tells the story of a Jewish man who was beaten, robbed, and left for dead. A priest and a Levite, people by reputation and responsibility assumed to represent God, pass by the beaten man with barely a glance. They are in a hurry to fulfill their responsibilities. A Samaritan – historically, despised by the Jewish community – stops to rescue the beaten Jew. He not only addressed the immediate need but returned after his own interrupted business trip to check on him and pay for his lodging and care.
A vital personal takeaway is that truly being a neighbor requires willingness to disrupt your schedule to show care and compassion for others. The Samaritan delayed his journey and even risked his own safety on this road where bandits had already done violence. He spent his own resources on a stranger, even a stranger culturally regarded as an enemy. He erased social boundaries by helping a person from a class who regarded his nationality with disdain. The story of the profoundly good Samaritan challenges us to view every person in need as our neighbor, regardless of their background or reputation.
There are numerous transforming details that come from studying the story.
We get a new definition of “neighbor.” Jesus shifts the question from “Who is my neighbor?” to “Whose neighbor am I?” Our neighbor isn't just a person who lives next door. A neighbor is anyone who needs compassion.
The Samaritans and Jews had deep-seated cultural and religious animosity. But the Samaritan laid down his biases and any reasons for resentment to show empathy to a person he had every reason to avoid or overlook. Compassion does that.
True love costs something. Compassion costs something. Being a neighbor is costly. The Samaritan willingly gave his time, energy, and finances to be a neighbor to a stranger in need. What personal resources are you willing to cheerfully share to meet a need for someone you don’t even know?
Love in action outstrips legalistic “purity” every time. The “professionals,” the priest and the Levite, prioritized ritual purity over human need. The story challenges us to make sure our rules, routines, and comforts do not insulate us against those in need around us and make a lack of compassion appear to be spiritual.
- It’s far easier to be religious than right. God, help me see as You see and do as You do.