have you ever walked past someone in need unsure of what to do imagine a man lying on the side of the road hurt and alone while others simply passed by who would stop to help in the days of Jesus there was a busy road that stretched from Jerusalem to Jericho it was a dangerous path winding through Rocky Hills where robbers often hid waiting to attack Travelers one day A man was traveling this very road but before he could reach his destination he was ambushed by robbers they stole his belonging beat him severely and left him
lying on the side of the road hurt and helpless as the man lay there unable to move he heard footsteps approaching his heart lifted with hope someone was coming it was a priest a man of God walking along the road surely he would stop to help but the priest glanced at the man and quickly crossed to the other side of the road without a second look he kept walking moments later another man approached a levite someone who also worked in the temple the injured man must have thought surely this man will help me but the
levite too walked past avoiding the man as if he weren't even there the injured man felt despair who would help him now just then he heard the sound of hooves and saw a donkey approaching the rider was a Samaritan a man from a group that the Jews often looked down on and avoided the injured man might have thought surely this man won't stop either but the Samaritan did stop when he saw the man's injuries his heart was filled with compassion he got down from his donkey knelt beside the man and began cleaning and bandaging his
wounds then carefully he lifted the man onto his donkey and took him to a nearby Inn at the Inn the Samaritan stayed with the man to care for him the next day he gave the inkeeper two silver coins and said take care of him if you spend more than this I'll pay you back when I return who would you be in this story would you pass by or would you stop to help even when it's inconvenient or costly Jesus shared this story with a lawyer who had asked who is my neighbor at the end Jesus
asked him which of the three men the priest the levite or the Samaritan was a neighbor to the injured man the lawyer replied the one who showed him mercy and Jesus said go and do likewise the parable of the Good Samaritan teaches us that being a neighbor isn't about where someone is from or how they look it's about showing kindness and love to anyone in need even when it's inconvenient or unexpected if this story inspired you think about how you can show kindness to someone today share this story with a friend and don't forget to
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