Speaking of Parables
Luke 10:25-37
The New Testament, especially the Gospels, has a lot of short stories in them called parables. These parables were ways that Jesus (or another speaker) would portray a message using relatable ideas and issues. Pastors often use stories like parables in their own sermons to engage the congregation in a story that relates to Scripture. Even shows like Veggietales use this method of teaching a message, moral, or biblical concept.
A specific parable in Luke 10:25-37 speaks on the importance of helping your neighbor. Jesus is hanging out with his followers one day when an expert of the Law asks Jesus a question. He asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responds by asking this man what he thinks the answer is according to the Law.
Luke 10:27, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself.”
This man of the Law has grown up reading Scriptures and learning about God. He knew the answer to his own question. This verse (10:27) is the correct answer, but the man pushes Jesus to answer deeper by asking: “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus could have stated a simple answer like, “those in need” but instead he tells this parable In response…
A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him’ he said ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expenses you may have.’
Jesus was not only telling this story to the man of the Law, but to the crowd of people around him. This group of people knew the significance of the characters mentioned in the parable: a priest, a Levite, and a Samaritan. If this story were told today, the specific characters would have been changed to relatable people in our modern times like: a pastor, a business woman, or a homeless man. In the time of Jesus, Samaritans were considered to be outcasts and even enemies of the Jews. So the people hearing this parable understood the significance of a Samaritan stopping to help this Jewish man.
After Jesus shares this short story, he questions the man of the Law, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” To which the man responds, “The one who had mercy on him”. Jesus tells the man to go and do the same for others. Show mercy on strangers. Take time out of your day to stop and help those in need. No matter your reputation. No matter what your social status is. Show kindness to your neighbors. I love this parable because of the simplicity and the significance of the characters. The priest and Levite did not think about the needs of their neighbor, but only the needs of themselves. The priest and Levite were busy with agendas that did not have room for “inconveniences” like bringing someone to a nearby inn for some rest and food. The priest and Levite probably thought that it wasn’t their job to help the man, that someone else would come along and take care of it. Too often, I stop and take pity on someone, think “wow, they are in a tough situation right now. I’ll pray for them” and walk away. How hypocritical! That’s not the kind of neighbor Jesus wants us to be.
Maybe someone you know needs prayer or a friend to talk to. You can make a meal for a family whose grandpa passed away. Or if cooking is not your thing, a gift card for groceries goes a long way too. You could offer to walk someone’s dog for them while they are healing from a broken leg. You can pack your own lunch for school because your mom was up all night with your baby sister. All of these are not huge tasks, but they will take some time, money, and sacrifices. Are you willing to look for just one way each week that you could be a good neighbor to someone?
I pray for God to open my eyes to those opportunities to be a neighbor. However, if I pray that prayer, I can’t use my busy calendar as an excuse not to help someone. Being a neighbor isn’t convenient. It might take a good chunk of time out of your day. You may not get anything from them in return. But the reward is great in the eyes of God. The feeling you get from helping others is unmatched by an amount of money or gifts. Learn from this parable of the good Samaritan by taking those neighborly steps towards kindness.
Taking it further:
Are there times where you have been a good neighbor to someone else? What about a time when someone was meeting your needs?
Challenge yourself for a month (4 weeks) by writing down the actions you took towards being a good neighbor to someone else. (It doesn’t count if they pay you).
What other parables have you read from the Bible that made a difference in your life?
