Let’s be good citizens

The parable of the Good Samaritan is a story that we should all read, because many times we need to be more supportive in the environment where we are. Sometimes the same way of thinking of the people who live in our society makes us harden the heart, but we have to take into account that we should not allow our heart to be hardened when it comes to doing good to a person.

The book of Luke in its chapter 10 tells us about the story of the “good Samaritan”. Jesus tells the story of a man who went from Jerusalem to Jericho and was assaulted by thieves, who left him almost dead. Then He tells us about another character: “a priest”, who meets the Samaritan. Being a priest, maybe we thought that he was going to pity the man who was down without being able to stand on his own, but it was not, the priest was not kind enough to do this, but the parable tells us :

Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.a

The parable of the Good Samaritan teaches us that love for our neighbor must be demonstrated through practical compassion. In a society where indifference can gradually harden the heart, these Bible verses about loving our neighbor remind us that genuine faith cannot ignore someone who is suffering.

The Question That Led to the Parable

The parable of the Good Samaritan is one of the best-known teachings of Jesus. It appears in Luke chapter 10 and contains a powerful lesson about compassion, mercy, prejudice, and the practical meaning of loving our neighbor.

Jesus told this story after an expert in the law approached Him with a question. The man wanted to know what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus directed him to what was written in the law, and the man correctly answered that a person must love God with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind, and love his neighbor as himself.

Jesus told him that his answer was correct. However, the man then asked another question because he wanted to justify himself: “And who is my neighbor?”

That question reveals an important problem of the human heart. Instead of asking how widely he could express love, the man seemed to be asking how narrowly he could define his responsibility. He wanted to know which people qualified as neighbors and which people could be excluded.

Jesus answered him with a story that broke through social, religious, and ethnic boundaries. The Lord did not merely provide a definition of the word neighbor. He showed what a neighbor does.

A Man Traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho

Jesus began the parable by describing a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. During his journey, robbers attacked him. They stripped him, beat him, stole his possessions, and left him beside the road nearly dead.

The wounded man was completely vulnerable. He could not continue his journey, defend himself, recover his stolen property, or obtain medical help. His survival depended upon whether someone passing along the road would stop and show compassion.

Jesus did not tell the listeners the injured man’s occupation, social position, moral history, or financial condition. He was simply a human being in urgent need. His pain was enough to create a responsibility for anyone capable of helping him.

This detail remains important for us. We often want to know whether a suffering person deserves our assistance. We may ask how the person entered the situation, whether he made unwise decisions, or whether helping him will benefit us.

Wisdom and discernment are necessary, especially when a situation may be dangerous or deceptive. Nevertheless, the Christian heart should not search for excuses to remain indifferent. When genuine need stands before us, love asks how we can respond faithfully.

The Priest Saw Him and Passed By

The first person to appear in the story was a priest:

Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

Luke 10:31

The listeners might have expected the priest to help. As a religious leader, he was familiar with the law of God and the commands concerning mercy, justice, and love for one’s neighbor.

The text says that he saw the wounded man. His failure was therefore not caused by complete ignorance. He recognized that someone was lying beside the road, yet he deliberately moved to the other side and continued his journey.

Jesus does not explain the priest’s thoughts. Perhaps he feared that the robbers were still nearby. Perhaps he worried about ritual uncleanness if the man was dead. Perhaps he had important religious responsibilities waiting for him. He may simply have decided that the wounded man’s problem was not his responsibility.

Whatever his reason, the result was the same: he saw suffering and chose distance instead of compassion.

Religious knowledge is valuable, but knowledge without obedience can produce hypocrisy. A person may know many Bible verses, participate in church activities, and speak confidently about doctrine while remaining cold toward people in need.

The priest reminds us that it is possible to be involved in religious service while failing to display the heart of God. True devotion cannot be separated from the way we treat people created in His image.

The Levite Also Walked Away

A second religious man then approached:

Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.

Luke 10:32

Levites were set apart for service connected with the temple and the worship of Israel. Like the priest, this man would have known the biblical commands concerning mercy and responsibility toward others.

Luke says that he came to the place and looked at the wounded man. He may have moved closer than the priest did. Nevertheless, after examining the situation, he also passed by on the other side.

Looking at someone’s suffering is not the same as helping. Feeling temporary sadness is not the same as compassion. We can observe poverty, illness, loneliness, grief, or injustice and still continue our lives without becoming involved.

Modern technology allows us to see suffering from around the world every day. We can watch painful stories, express shock, and then immediately move to another subject. Constant exposure can make us emotionally tired and gradually less sensitive.

The Levite warns us not to confuse awareness with obedience. Recognizing a need is only the beginning. When God gives us the ability and opportunity to help, love must become action.

The Unexpected Samaritan

The third person in the story was a Samaritan:

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.

34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, “Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.”

Luke 10:33–35

The appearance of the Samaritan would have surprised the original listeners. Jews and Samaritans had a long history of hostility and religious disagreement. Many Jews looked down upon Samaritans and did not regard them as faithful members of God’s covenant people.

Yet Jesus made the Samaritan the compassionate person in the story. The priest and the Levite possessed religious status, but the Samaritan performed the action that reflected the command of God.

The Samaritan could have used social hostility as an excuse. He could have said that the injured man probably belonged to a community that despised him. He might have reasoned that he had no obligation to assist someone who would not have helped him under different circumstances.

Instead, the Bible says that he had compassion. He did not allow prejudice, inconvenience, or personal cost to close his heart.

Compassion Moved Him Closer

The priest and the Levite moved away from the wounded man. The Samaritan moved toward him. This movement illustrates the difference between indifference and compassion.

True compassion does not remain safely at a distance when it has the opportunity to help. It approaches the suffering person, listens, examines the need, and considers what can be done.

The Samaritan did not merely express sympathy. He bandaged the man’s wounds and poured oil and wine upon them. He used the resources he had available to provide immediate care.

He then placed the wounded man upon his own animal. This probably meant that the Samaritan continued part of the journey on foot while the injured traveler received the place of greater comfort.

The Samaritan brought him to an inn and continued caring for him. The following day, he gave money to the innkeeper and promised to repay any additional necessary expense.

Every action required something from him. Helping required time, physical effort, personal supplies, transportation, money, and a willingness to accept continuing responsibility.

Biblical compassion is often costly. It may interrupt our schedule, reduce our comfort, require patience, or use resources we had planned to spend elsewhere. Love that never costs us anything may be little more than a pleasant feeling.

Mercy Does Not Ask Whether the Person Is Deserving

The Samaritan did not know the wounded man. He was not helping a relative, close friend, or business partner. The injured traveler could not promise to return the favor.

The Samaritan helped because the man needed mercy and because he had the ability to provide it. His compassion was not based upon personal advantage.

This reflects something of the mercy God has shown sinners. We did not earn salvation or make ourselves worthy of divine compassion. God acted according to His gracious character and sent Jesus Christ to rescue people who could not rescue themselves.

Understanding the mercy God has shown us should transform the way we treat others. Those who have received undeserved compassion should not become proud, cold, or unwilling to show compassion.

Mercy does not mean approving sinful behavior or protecting someone from every legitimate consequence. We can speak the truth, maintain necessary boundaries, and act wisely while still treating people with dignity and compassion.

The Samaritan did not need to agree with everything about the injured man’s life before providing help. The immediate question was whether he would leave a suffering human being beside the road.

Who Was the True Neighbor?

After finishing the story, Jesus asked the expert in the law:

So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?

Luke 10:36

The man answered, “He who showed mercy on him.” Jesus then told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Notice how Jesus changed the direction of the original question. The expert had asked, “Who is my neighbor?” He wanted to identify the limits of his duty. Jesus effectively asked, “Which man behaved like a neighbor?”

The issue is not merely deciding which people deserve the title of neighbor. The issue is whether we will become neighbors to those whose needs God places before us.

Our neighbor may be a family member, coworker, church member, immigrant, elderly person, stranger, enemy, or someone whose social background is completely different from ours. The command to love does not permit us to care only for people who resemble us or agree with us.

Jesus did not tell the legal expert to admire the Samaritan, discuss his generosity, or memorize the details of the parable. He said, “Go and do likewise.”

Knowing What Is Right Is Not Enough

Most readers immediately recognize that the Samaritan acted correctly. Few people would openly defend the priest and Levite for abandoning the wounded man.

However, knowing the correct answer is not the same as practicing it. We may praise generosity while remaining selfish. We may preach compassion while ignoring someone’s suffering. We may agree that Christians should help others while continually expecting someone else to do it.

Jesus calls His disciples beyond intellectual agreement. Christianity includes truth that must be believed, but genuine belief produces obedience. The Word of God should shape our priorities, relationships, schedules, and use of resources.

There are times when we genuinely cannot meet every need. No individual has unlimited time, money, energy, or ability. Even Jesus, during His earthly ministry, did not personally heal every sick person in the Roman Empire.

Yet our limitations should lead us to wisdom, not indifference. We can ask which needs God has placed within our reach and how we can respond responsibly.

Carrying One Another’s Burdens

The principle of the Good Samaritan is reflected throughout the New Testament. Christians are commanded to care for one another, serve one another, encourage the discouraged, support the weak, and share one another’s burdens.

To bear one another’s burdens means refusing to let people face every difficulty alone. Sometimes the burden is financial, but at other times it is emotional, physical, or spiritual.

A grieving person may need someone willing to listen. An elderly neighbor may need transportation or help with an ordinary task. A struggling family may need food. A discouraged believer may need prayer, biblical encouragement, and patient companionship.

Some needs require professional expertise that we do not possess. In those cases, love may involve helping the person find appropriate medical, legal, psychological, pastoral, or emergency assistance.

The Samaritan did what he could personally and then involved the innkeeper. In the same way, helping someone does not always mean carrying the entire responsibility alone. Compassion can connect people with others who are better equipped to continue the care.

We Must Not Allow Society to Harden Our Hearts

Modern life can encourage indifference. People are often busy, suspicious, exhausted, and focused on their own responsibilities. News of violence, fraud, and exploitation can make us reluctant to trust anyone.

Discernment is necessary. We should not enter obviously dangerous situations carelessly, place children at risk, or ignore warning signs of manipulation. In emergencies, contacting trained professionals may be the wisest and most compassionate response.

Nevertheless, caution must not become an excuse for permanent coldness. Fear can gradually persuade us that every suffering person is dishonest, every stranger is dangerous, and every need belongs to someone else.

Before the hand closes, the heart has often closed first. We stop seeing people as individuals created in God’s image and begin treating them as interruptions, risks, or statistics.

The Christian must resist the formation of a hardened heart. We should ask God to give us wisdom without suspicion, generosity without carelessness, and compassion without pride.

Religious Activity Cannot Replace Love

The presence of a priest and a Levite in the parable warns religious people especially. Both men likely had responsibilities connected to worship, yet neither allowed his religious knowledge to move him toward the wounded traveler.

A person may sing worship songs, attend every service, study theology, and participate in church leadership while treating people harshly. Scripture never presents such behavior as spiritual maturity.

Love for God and love for neighbor cannot be separated. We do not prove our love for God by abandoning biblical truth, but neither do we prove faithfulness to truth through coldness and cruelty.

Jesus united holiness, truth, and compassion perfectly. He confronted sin, yet welcomed repentant sinners. He exposed hypocrisy, yet treated the weak with tenderness. His mercy never compromised righteousness, and His righteousness never became heartless.

The church should reflect that same character. True Christianity must be visible not only at the altar but also in the street, the home, the workplace, and every place where human need appears.

Serving Without Seeking Recognition

The Samaritan did not help the man to receive public praise. No crowd gathered to applaud him, and Jesus does not describe him announcing his generosity to others.

Christian service should be motivated by love for God and neighbor rather than by the desire to appear generous. Social media can create a temptation to turn every act of kindness into personal promotion.

There may be legitimate reasons to share information about charitable work, especially when raising awareness or inviting others to participate. Nevertheless, we must examine the heart. Are we helping the person, or are we using that person’s suffering to build our reputation?

When we do everything for the Lord rather than for human recognition, even hidden acts of service possess eternal value. God sees the meal given privately, the hospital visit no one mentions, and the financial assistance offered without publicity.

The goal is not to become known as a good Samaritan. The goal is to honor Christ by showing mercy.

Jesus Is the Greater Rescuer

The parable primarily commands us to love our neighbor, but it also directs our thoughts toward the mercy we have received in Christ. Spiritually, sinners were helpless, wounded by sin, and unable to restore themselves to God.

Jesus did not pass by on the other side. The eternal Son came into our world, took true human nature, and moved toward people who were guilty and spiritually dead.

He did more than provide temporary relief. Christ carried our sins upon the cross and endured the judgment we deserved. He rose from the dead and offers forgiveness and eternal life to everyone who repents and believes.

We were not saved because we had resources with which to repay Him. Salvation is a gift of grace. Jesus paid the complete price of redemption.

This does not mean that every detail of the parable should be turned into a hidden symbol. The direct lesson remains clear: we must show mercy. Yet the gospel gives us the deepest motivation for obeying that command. We love because God first loved us.

Practical Ways to Go and Do Likewise

We can begin by paying attention. Many needs remain unnoticed because we are distracted. Compassion requires us to see the people around us rather than moving through life focused only on our own plans.

We should also listen before assuming what someone needs. A person may not require money but encouragement, advice, food, transportation, prayer, or assistance finding professional help.

We can prepare ourselves to be generous. Setting aside part of our time or resources for helping others allows us to respond when unexpected needs appear.

We should cooperate with trustworthy churches and organizations that understand complex needs. Individual kindness is important, but organized service can often provide safer and more sustainable assistance.

We must also teach children to show compassion. They learn generosity not only through instructions but by watching how adults speak about the poor, strangers, elderly people, immigrants, and those with disabilities.

Finally, we should pray for a merciful heart. Rules alone cannot create compassion. We need the Holy Spirit to remove selfishness, prejudice, fear, and indifference from within us.

Go and Do Likewise

The parable of the Good Samaritan leaves us with a command that is simple to understand but demanding to practice. Jesus says, “Go and do likewise.”

Do not merely identify the compassionate person in the story. Become a compassionate person. Do not simply criticize the priest and Levite. Examine whether you have also crossed to the other side when someone needed help.

Our neighbor is not limited to the person who shares our nationality, church, politics, culture, or social position. Love crosses boundaries because every human being bears the dignity of being created by God.

We cannot solve every problem in the world, but we can refuse to harden our hearts toward the needs God places before us. We can give what we possess, use our abilities, involve others when necessary, and serve with wisdom.

Compassion sees, approaches, acts, sacrifices, and continues caring. It is more than an emotion and greater than a public statement. It is love made visible through action.

May the Lord free us from religious indifference and make us people whose faith produces mercy. When we encounter the wounded, lonely, forgotten, or burdened, may we not pass by on the other side. Let us remember the mercy Christ has shown us and obey His command: “Go and do likewise.”

Luke 10: 31

Sometimes those who seem the most noble are those who do not do good. Let us take care to behave like this priest.

The story continues, and tells us about our next character: “The Levite”. Oh, we think maybe a Levite, that person who has been set apart to serve in the temple, is supposed to have learned to treat his neighbor, but it was not like that, but he says:

 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.

Luke 10:32

Now we have our last character: “The Samaritan.” This was the last person you would expect to help the poor man, because Samaritans and Jews did not take each other. However, he was the only one who deigned to help this poor man who was deprived of his rights:

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.

34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’

Luke 10: 33-35

How much care this Samaritan had of that man! He did not know him, he was not a relative of him, however, this man had extreme solidarity with that poor man lying on the streets.

Oh brothers, may our solidarity be no less than that of that man.

Our great question is asked by Jesus at this time:

36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

It is obvious that we will all answer that he is the good Samaritan, but it is not enough for us to know what is good or who is the one who does good, but we have to apply it on a daily basis. So, since we know how to behave, how we should be supportive, then Jesus tells us on this day:

Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” (V.37)