The Good Samaritan
“But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?” Luke 10:29
More jokes have been made about lawyers than probably any other profession. The general consensus is that lawyers are greedy and unscrupulous professionals who prey on the misfortunes of victims of crime, accidents, or unfair practices by corporations or other entities. Of course, most lawyers are people who desire to help other people in legal matters and to seek justice for their clients. But, just as in any other profession or trade, there are always a few bad apples, and the lawyer in this scriptural account might just fall into the “bad apple” category.
Most everyone has heard of the “good Samaritan” account in Luke 10:25-37. But, in case some of you haven’t heard the story, let me give a brief recap: A lawyer stood up where Jesus was speaking and asked Him a question, not because he was interested in an answer, but rather to attempt to get Jesus to contradict Himself so that the religious leaders would have cause to either arrest Him or cause His followers to abandon Him. The lawyer asked, “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered by asking him what the law said. He answered with the two great commandments under which fall the sacred duty of all mankind: love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus replied that his answer was correct. All he had to do was obey it.
At this response, the lawyer was likely thinking something like this: “OK, this is not going exactly as I planned. This One who purports to be from God has thrown the ball back in my court. I gave Him the answer that He wanted to hear, but there’s no evidence that I can produce to show that I have obeyed these two commandments. I must do something to justify myself.” At that point, the lawyer answered in what I would imagine an arrogant and haughty manner, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus then told him the account of the injured roadside victim of crime who was ignored by a priest, a man of God whom one would think would come quickly to the man’s aid, and also ignored by a Levite, a member of the tribe whose duty it was to care for the temple. Both of them actually crossed to the other side of the road to avoid the injured man. The third man to come upon the scene was a Samaritan, half Jew and half Gentile, a victim of racism and scorned by the Jews. He immediately went to the man’s aid, treating his wounds, lifting him onto his beast, took him to an inn and paid for his care, promising to return and reimburse any further costs for the man’s treatment. Jesus then asked the lawyer which one was a neighbor to the victim. What else could the lawyer say but that the neighbor was the one who had mercy upon the injured man. Jesus then said, “Go and do likewise.”
Fast forward nearly 2,000 years to the 1950’s. This was the time prior to the Civil Rights movement when segregation was practiced in most states. My Dad worked for a dry cleaners and laundry, driving a truck and picking up and delivering clothes to individuals. This was a time when folks dressed up for church and work, and many of the garments worn had to be dry cleaned. The cleaning plant, as was the custom in most places, had separate restrooms and water fountains marked “White Only” and “Colored Only”. This made an impression on me as a young child when my Dad would take me to work on occasion. It wasn’t right, but that’s how it was.
One day, during the 1960’s, my Dad was driving his work van on a local street, a busy street leading out from the town square, when he saw an African American man who had fallen into the street. I don’t know what caused him to fall, but there was a lady companion of his standing on the curb who was frantic. My Dad saw this up ahead, but what else he saw astonished him. People were driving toward the man in the street and then swerving to miss him, but not stopping to help. They just ignored the man. My Dad stopped, got out of his vehicle and helped the man up and back onto the sidewalk. The lady was saying, “Thank you, Mister, thank you.” This man was able to walk and not injured severely. My Dad came home that evening and told my Mama and me the story. He just couldn’t get over the fact that no one was willing to help this man.
I am grateful for the legacy that my parents left me and desire to be all that Christ would have me to be. We should never let prejudice keep us from doing the will of God.