One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the Parable of the Good Samaritan. It's where Jesus tells the story of a man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, who fell into the hands of robbers and was stripped, beat and left for dead. A Priest happened to be going down the same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. I often wonder, how do we respond when we see people who are hurting and alone? So too, a Levite, saw the man and he also passed by on the other side of the road. How sad! Wasn't anybody willing to help this poor man?

Suddenly, along came a Samaritan who happened to be traveling by. He was an interracial man who was despised by the Jews. He had been treated badly by the people of the wounded man. Yet, when he came to the place and saw the man, he took pity on him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he went one step further and placed the man on his donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The following day he gave two silver coins to an innkeeper and asked him to look after the man until he returned. He even offered to reimburse the innkeeper. How many of us would go to such great lengths to help someone, especially if we had been treated badly by them?

After telling the parable, Jesus asked "Which of the three men was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" An expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." Are we doing everything that we can to help those who are suffering? Do we pass by our brothers and sisters when they fall on hard times? I am sure that this isn't always the case, but are there times when we disregard the needs of others? Even though the Priest and the Levite saw the mans suffering, they made the decision not to help him. The Samaritan, however, was willing to overlook an offense and he reached out to help the wounded man.

Jesus had a name for people like that. He called them "neighbor." While studying the Parable I began to see what a true neighbor really is. It's the one who cares enough to demonstrate compassion to others. Regardless of the circumstances, it's the one who shows mercy.

THE GOOD SAMARITAN

Don't leave me to die by the side of the road,
Robbed, stripped, and beaten, and left in the cold.
Give your heart to my cry, and help me I plead,
For my life's getting dim, as my frail body bleeds.
So, are you my Samaritan, the Lord sends today?
Or are you the one who keeps looking away?
Copyright © 1998 by Joe Medrek

This is what the Lord Almighty says:
"Execute true justice,
Show mercy and compassion
Everyone to his brother."
Zechariah 7:9

Jesus, said to them:
"You shall love the Lord your God
With all your heart, with all your soul
And with all your mind
This is the first
And greatest commandment.
The second is like it:
"You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Matthew 22:37-39

***The Parable of the Good Samaritan***
Luke 10: 25-37

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