The Good Samaritan

A man is hurt by the side of a lonely road, and one kind Samaritan shows us what it truly means to be a good neighbor.

A man was walking down the long, dusty road from Jerusalem to Jericho. The road was quiet and lonely, with rocky hills on every side. Robbers came and hurt him, then left him lying by the side of the path. He could not get up, and he waited, hoping someone would come.

After a while, a priest came walking down that same road — a man who served in God’s house. He saw the hurt man lying there in the dust. But instead of stopping, he crossed to the far side of the road and hurried past. The hurt man watched him go and felt very alone.

Then another man came near — a Levite, one of God’s temple helpers. He slowed down and looked at the hurt man too. But he also walked on by and did not stop to help. The poor man’s heart grew sad as he waited beside the empty road.

After that, a traveler came along from a place called Samaria — and his people and the hurt man’s people were not friends at all. He saw the hurt man lying there, and his heart filled up with kindness. He did not hurry past or look away. He knelt down close to help.

Gently, he cleaned the man’s cuts, pouring on soothing oil and wine, and wrapped them up with care. Then he lifted him onto his own donkey and walked beside him all the way to an inn. He gave the innkeeper two silver coins and said, “Please take care of him, and I will pay you back for anything more.” There the hurt man could rest in a warm, safe place and slowly get better.

Jesus told this story to teach us something simple and good. Being a neighbor means stopping to help anyone who is hurting, even a stranger. When we are kind like the good Samaritan, we share God’s love. And God’s love is big enough for everyone.

Dear God, please give me a kind and gentle heart like the good Samaritan. Show me how to stop and help others who are hurting today, the way You take care of me.