The parable of the Good Samaritan shows us what it’s like when we find ourselves in the right place and the right time and God provides us with the opportunity to do the right thing by showering unexpected generosity on someone who is in desperate need.
And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “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.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
Luke 10:25-37 (ESV)
The parable of the Good Samaritan relates the story of a traveler journeying along a road that was renowned as the “Way of Blood” because of the frequent violence and robberies that took place on the treacherous path between the cities of Jericho and Jerusalem.
The traveler was stripped of his clothing, beaten, and left for dead alongside the road. It is implied that the man left for dead was Jewish. We will get to why that matters in a bit.
First, a Jewish priest comes upon the assaulted man. He does nothing. Shortly thereafter, a Levite comes by and avoids helping the man. Finally, a Samaritan happens upon the traveler. Jews and Samaritans did not like each other. Truthfully, they despised one another. Yet, upon seeing the man crumpled alongside the road to Jerusalem, the Samaritan helps the injured man.
Through his actions, the Samaritan demonstrates great generosity toward a complete stranger. He defines what it means to love your neighbor.
This is a Bible story that has inspired numerous paintings, sculptures, poems, photographs, and films. Today, the phrase “Good Samaritan” is synonymous with someone who helps strangers. The message at the heart of this parable has led many hospitals and charitable organizations to name their institutions after the Good Samaritan.
There is a lot we can learn about generosity from this great parable. We witness the Samaritan selflessly help a man he’d never met. He tended to his wounds. He showered him with mercy and kindness. He took the man to a safe place and made sure that his needs were met. Throughout this parable, we see the Good Samaritan go the extra mile without ever even being asked. He simply just did it. What a beautiful picture of generosity this is!
May we heed the words of Jesus and “go and do likewise!”
I pray you are enjoying this deep dive into the subject of generosity. It’s my hope it well help you worship the Lord more deeply as you experience the joy of generosity more fully.
I look forward to seeing you in the “comments”!
Abundant Blessings,
Rainer Bantau
The Devotional Guy™
#bgbg2#BibleGateway
The Devotional Guy™ 
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