In reply Jesus said: “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.

Luke 10:30

“Somebody help me!”

Baba heard the distress call. With a rope around his neck tied to the branch of the tree at the edge of the cliff, he was ready to jump to end it all.

“Is anybody out there? Please help me,” the call boomed out louder.

Baba found himself strangely concerned. Here he was, ready to say his final goodbye to a world he thought had been unfair to him, so what was another man’s life to him? Yet, he couldn’t get the echo out of his ears. Maybe one final kindness before saying goodbye to this cruel world isn’t too bad. Removing his neck from the noose, he ran in the direction of the desperate cry of the person he thought he was going to save.

“Leave him alone, you scoundrels!” Baba shouted; charging at the two men striking the man on the ground. But, oblivious to him, another way had opened to him to finish what he had started under the tree. Stripped, wounded, and left to die in the middle of the road, he had become the victim of a robbery scam. 

Have you ever thought about the identity of the robbery victim in the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk. 10:25-37)? Normally, we don’t stop to consider that we could be the victims we see in such situations. Unfortunately, criminals have no respect for age, position, or social status. Neither do accidents. But how heartlessly we often say to ourselves, “Too bad it happened to them”, and simply pass by.

Jesus told the classic Parable to teach on the heart of God for the victims of this cruel and sinful world. He reveals the selfishness of humans in the actions of the priest and the Levite (31-32). We stop for no one, when our minds are fixed on accomplishing our “pressing” tasks. Regardless of the screaming needs of others, we plough on with no sense of guilt. But thank Jesus, He showed us a heavenly way – the example of the Samaritan (33-35).

The identity of the robbery victim did not matter to the Samaritan. The man’s life was at stake. Whatever he was going to do could wait. Neither did he know the result of his kindness, which timelessly instructs people of every race and religion.

That’s our charge, folks! Every need in another person’s life is an opportunity from God to reveal His heart to them. The priest and Levite failed woefully. However, the overflow of God’s grace in our lives should help us to be the merciful Samaritan to others in similar situations.

Where, then, is your heart? Does it know pity (Lk. 33)? Where are your bandages, your oil and wine, and your donkey to carry the desperate and dying of this world to the inn on Calvary (Lk. 10:34)? Are you willing to pay the “extra expense” to keep your wounded neighbor in the hospital of Christ (35)?

 “Go and do likewise”, Jesus tells you today (37).