The Good Samaritan

Ayomide Olabisi
Aug 6
3 min read

Before I start, I have a Question...

Do we read the parables in the Bible just to tick a box, or are we genuinely seeking to live them out? Because when Jesus spoke in parables, it wasn’t just for entertainment or moral lessons, it was always a call to act on (action). Let’s take a recap on the story of the good Samaritan.

The Story of the Good Samaritan (A Quick Recap Luke 10:25–37)

A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and left him half dead.

A priest came by, saw the man and passed by on the other side. Then a Levite came along, looked at the man and also walked away.

But then came a Samaritan someone from a group that was despised by the Jews. He stopped. Had compassion. Tended to the man's wounds. Took him to an inn. Paid for his care.

Jesus ends the story by asking: “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor?”

How Have You Been Doing as a Good Samaritan?

Before you answer the question based on how well you are doing as a good Samaritan, This is for you.

There’s a young man we’ll call David. He was walking home from church one Sunday afternoon when he saw a familiar face sitting by the roadside. It was a fellow brother in Christ who had been going through some hard times. This fellow looked worn, broken, and hungry.

David saw him, paused for a moment and then kept walking. Why?

Because he was ashamed. Ashamed that someone he once worshiped with had fallen on hard times. Ashamed to be seen helping “that guy.”

Days later, David couldn’t shake the guilt. But he justified it saying;

“I had my own problems,”

“It wasn’t the right time,” or

“He should’ve reached out if he needed help.”

But here’s the question:

If we can’t extend compassion to our fellow believers, how can we truly say we love those who don’t know Christ yet?

Didn’t Jesus say, “By this all men will know you are My disciples, if you have love for one another”? (John 13:35) Our love must begin at home (with our brothers and sisters in the faith).

Here’s the truth many of us need to hear:

You don’t have to wait for something dramatic to happen before you become a Good Samaritan.

You don’t need a headline or a crisis to show love. You don’t need a viral moment to do what’s right.

The priest and the Levite had reasons maybe good ones to walk past the wounded man.

But compassion doesn’t ask for convenience. It asks for obedience.

This is your wake-up call. Don’t wait until you hear, “He didn’t make it,” before you visit. Don’t wait for a funeral before you check on someone. Don’t wait until someone crashes before you show concern.