There's a famous unnamed person in the Bible, someone so famous and inspiring that many ministries around the world are named after him. This "good Samaritan," who is actually just a part of a story told by the Lord Jesus Himself, did something so remarkable that we ought to learn from him.
Who is this good Samaritan and what can we learn from him? Let's talk about that.
A story told by the Best Storyteller
Many of us think of the good Samaritan as a real man who lived and actually did what Jesus said he did. Well, we know that the Lord Jesus loved to speak in parables to convey a very important point, lesson, or principle. The story of the good Samaritan, found in Luke 10:25-37, is but one of His stories.
The passage tells us that the good Samaritan was the third person to pass by a robbery victim, but the first to respond to the poor victim's need. He was but a passerby travelling from somewhere we don't know to somewhere we also don't know. What we do know is that he helped the poor dying man to get well.
This Samaritan, a man despised by Jews, had compassion on the dying man (presumed to be a Jew), and treated his wounds. He placed the man on his animal, took him to an inn, took care of him, and paid someone else to take care of the man when he needed to go - with a promise to repay all other expenses when he returned.
Although the Lord Jesus didn't actually say if this unnamed good Samaritan returned to the inn, what we know is that the Lord used him to illustrate what it is to love our neighbors. His short appearance in the Bible is truly remarkable.
What can we learn from the good Samaritan?
1) You don't need to be named
First, ever noticed how the good Samaritan continues to be known as the "good Samaritan" until now? He was unnamed, yet his actions continue to be an example to all of us today. His actions tell us that we can be a nameless, faceless servant with no need for applause.
Many of us want to be famous and try to make a name for ourselves. This Samaritan was a nobody - literally, according to the perspectives of that time - but his act of love will always be remembered for as long as the word of God exists.
2) You can love your neighbor, even more if you are hated
It's easy to love those who love us. What's difficult is to love those who hate us. The good Samaritan showed us, however, that it can be done.
The good Samaritan showed us that we can love everyone, even those who hate us. We can show love to those who despise us. We can love them even if they don't love us, and God will see that.
3) Servanthood comes from the heart, not from positions
We read in the Luke 10:25-37 passage that the Samaritan was but the third person who saw the poor robbery victim. The first two, a priest and a levite, had positions of servanthood but did not serve.
Servanthood, or the desire to serve others, is not and should not be dictated by positions. It comes from the heart. Those in a position, however, should use it to serve others. The Lord Jesus Himself said,
"... but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (see Matthew 20:26-28)
