The parable of the good Samaritan
My favorite bible story is “The parable of the good Samaritan”. (Luke 10:25-37.) A lawyer asked Jesus what should I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus tells him to love God and his neighbors. So, the lawyer says, “Who is my neighbor?” Hence the parable is told. There are four main characters in the story, the robbers who stole the traveler’s money, the priest, and the Levite who passed by the fourth character, the victim, who lay in the ditch by the side of the road. The Samaritan had compassion on the victim and bound his wounds and took him to an Inn and paid for his care. I can identify with three of the characters in this story. How often I pass by someone broke down along side of the road and I don’t stop to lend a hand. I look in the rear mirror and feel guilty. Hoping that someone else will stop. I also have been a victim and been desperate for a way out of a bad situation many times (although never been beaten!) I have been robbed. When a crisis arises, I can’t handle always someone arrives to solve the problem for me. For instance, we were returning from a camping trip towing a used single axle trailer when suddenly the left rear wheel came off and rolled past us and into a ditch. I pulled over with the trailer leaning left on a brake drum and it was pouring down rain. As and I was standing with the wheel wondering what to do I noticed a car stopped on the opposite side of the highway and the driver rolled down his window about one inch. He shouted, “Take two lug nuts from the other wheel”. Then he drove off. Why hadn’t I thought of it? He was my Good Samaritan! There are other stories like this involving being in Georgia at my first job down to our last dollar, A broken shower faucet and the water shut off and no plumber in sight (this past week) and other crisis. Always someone helped me get back on track. So in light of all the victim stories I decided to become a good Samaritan myself and pay back all who have helped me. I volunteered for then Helping Hands missions to New Jersey to help flood victims from Hurricane Sandy. I volunteer at the Emergency Department at Mount Nittany Hospital twice a week. I help sick people get from their cars to a wheelchair and get registered at the desk. I escort relatives back to the treatment rooms to visit patients. All of the doctors, nurses and employees show compassion for the patients. It is a gratifying experience for me and others working there. Jesus asked, “Now of the three in the parable, thinkest thou who was neighbor unto him that fell among thieves?” The layer said, “He that showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said unto him, “Go and do thou likewise.” Let us pray that we all become Good Samaritans when the need arises! Amen. Bob Byers
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Authors:The people of Grace share their favorite bible stories for the 2023 Lenten Devotional: I Love to Tell the Story. Each day's devotional will be automatically posted so come back daily after 7 am for a new reflection. |