The Parable of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10:25-37 begins with a lawyer coming to Jesus, asking him what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus responded by asking him about what the law says, so Jesus could check his understanding of the law. The lawyer responded with: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus acknowledged this was correct and encouraged him to “do this, and you will live.”
The lawyer then asked, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus began to tell the lawyer a parable that illustrated how to be a neighbor and how to be Christ-like. The story was about a man who was beaten by robbers and left on the side of the road as he traveled from Jerusalem to Jericho. In the parable, the priest and Levite were the likely ones to help the man, and yet they chose to cross the road and continue going. For us, their response shows how they missed out on a significant opportunity to be Christ-like in their actions.
When we miss out on the important opportunities we have to show compassion and gentleness to our neighbors, it is likely that someone else completely unexpected becomes a surprising example of being a neighbor a person in need. In the parable, the Samaritan who was traveling was the one to show compassion and gentleness to the man. The Samaritan’s actions were a surprise, because as we know, during this time the Samaritans and Jews were divided by history, culture, and theology.
In the parable, the Samaritan, an unlikely person, becomes the example of how to care for and be gentle towards others. The Samaritan is the one who goes above and beyond what is expected, so he can help the man. He saw the man as a neighbor and as someone who deserved his time and attention. The Samaritan was able to recognize that there are no rules about who is a neighbor – because a neighbor is anyone who is in need.
In today’s scripture, the gentleness shown by the Samaritan made a significant impact on the man along the side of the road. Through using the Samaritan as the example of someone to be Christ-like, Jesus shows us that social status means nothing when it comes to being a neighbor to those around us.
Following the parable about the Samaritan, Jesus asked the lawyer which one was a neighbor to the man who was beaten by the robbers. The lawyer replied: “the one who showed him mercy.” Being a neighbor looks like someone who is able to offer love, and act in love toward others. So for us, following Jesus requires living our lives in ways where we are neighbors to those we meet along the way. After all, God works through surprising people and can meet our needs through those who come alongside us when we need it the most.
Friends, we never know what someone is currently facing or how someone’s life can change in an instant. The other day, when I was scrolling through Facebook, I came across a quote that illustrates what kindness and gentleness can mean to someone else: “When asked why kindness matters, I said: Because someone out there is grieving, drained, or just trying to survive and your kindness may be their only gentle moment in their day.”
The gentleness that was shown by the Samaritan went above and beyond and shows what being kind and gentle can mean to someone else. For us, the Samaritan is an example of how to do what Paul wrote in Philippians 4:5: “Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.”
Living our lives in ways that follow the example set by Jesus is what will give us the gift of eternal life. For us, Jesus is our example of how we are responsible to be a neighbor and care for those around us. And so, may you go and do likewise. May you each be surprising examples of gentleness to those you meet.
