‘Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?’ He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You go, and do likewise.’
(Luke 10:36–37 IV)
A Sunday school teacher was telling her young class the story of the Good Samaritan. She described in vivid detail how the man had been beaten, robbed, and left to die on the roadside. As she finished painting the scene, she asked, “If you saw someone lying there, all wounded and bleeding, what would you do?”
One little girl quietly raised her hand and said, “I think I’d throw up!”
It’s an honest response. The truth is, some situations are overwhelming. Helping others isn’t always neat and tidy. It can be messy, uncomfortable, and inconvenient.
I’ll be honest: the Good Samaritan is one of my least favorite parables. Not because it’s unclear — quite the opposite. It’s painfully clear. There’s no mystery, no debate about what Jesus meant. And every time I read it, I’m reminded how often I walk past hurting people — maybe not literally lying on the roadside, but struggling in other very real ways: with loneliness, finances, grief, or simply needing someone to care.
The part that gets me the most is how relatable the priest and the Levite are. I understand the pressure of being busy, the fear of getting involved, the tendency to look the other way and tell myself someone else will handle it. I can offer excuses, but none of them line up with the challenge Jesus gives at the end of the parable: “Go and do likewise.”
In this parable, Jesus invites us to a different kind of life – one where we see people with compassion instead of avoidance, and we move toward need rather than away from it. We may not be able to fix every problem, but we can stop. We can notice. We can choose mercy.
This parable doesn’t let us off the hook — but maybe that’s because Jesus doesn’t want us to miss the joy of loving like he does.
Prayer: Father, open my eyes to see those around me who are hurting. Give me the courage to stop, the compassion to care, and the willingness to act. Help me be the kind of neighbor you’ve called me to be. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Alan Smith
Reprinted with permission from Alan Smith’s Thought For the Day