In one instance, a lawyer came to Jesus and asked for directions on how to live forever or get into heaven.
In response to his question, Jesus asked what the Ten Commandments said. According to the lawyer, love God with all your heart, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. “Right!” replied Jesus. In response, the lawyer asked Jesus, “But, Teacher, who is my neighbor?” In other words, “to whom do I have to extend loving kindness?” The following is what Jesus told the lawyer:
Once, a man walked a lonely road between Jerusalem and Jericho. His world was turned upside down when a bunch of thieves jumped out of the side of the road and surrounded him. They said, “Give us your money.” He said, “I need my money.” He said, “This money is for food for me and my family.”
He was hit in the head by a rock picked up by one of the thieves off the road. Bleeding, he fell to the ground. As there was nobody around, the thieves jumped on the man and took everything he had, including his money and clothes. The thieves grabbed a stick and beat the man with it several times before leaving him laying on the side of the road, half dead, after they had left him on the side of the road.
Eventually, a priest walked down the street after a period of time. Seeing the man lying on the side of the road, he crossed to the other side.
It wasn’t long before another man, a Levite (distinguished religious representative), showed up. As he passed by, he saw the wounded man lying in the hot sun, naked and bleeding.
A long time has passed. Flies buzzed around the dying man. There was someone else coming down the road.
It was a Samaritan on a donkey. Apparently, the people of Samaria weren’t friendly to the people of dying man’s country. They both hated each other.
Seeing the man lying on the road, the Samaritan didn’t hesitate. He didn’t think twice about helping him because of where he came from or what group he belonged to. There was compassion in his eyes when he saw that this man needed help.
A Samaritan took healing oil and wine from his bag and cleaned the man’s wounds, then tied them up with his shirt’s cloth. Then he covered him in a robe. In addition to providing the man with a drink of water, he helped him onto his donkey and helped him to his feet. They walked slowly, because the man was in pain and it was a long road, to get to the next town, as he was in great pain. The Samaritan found an inn and asked the innkeeper to provide him with what he needed to ensure his recovery. The Samaritan then gave the innkeeper money to cover the cost of boarding the wounded man at the inn until he recovered. He promised to return in a few days and pay whatever else was necessary to recover the man.
In the end, after Jesus finished explaining the story, he asked the lawyer, “Of these three men, which would be considered to be more like the neighbor of the man who had fallen among thieves? ” The lawyer responded by saying, “The kind person who showed kindness to the other.” “Yes, I agree..” Jesus replied. “You should go and do the same.”