The Good Samaritan Understood the Assignment:  But — Do We Practice What We Preach?

The Good Samaritan had an assignment to do. He understood the assignment. He completed the task.

He did not ponder, or question what he had to do.

He did not analyze it.

He did not a flip a coin.

He acted without hesitation.

He responded, a simple reflex. Like inhaling.

What can we learn from the Bible parable: The Good Samaritan?

First, despite being nameless, he has survived the test of time. And I expect that he will continue to do so throughout eternity. And to ensure that he does, we must tell — and retell — his story not only as a lesson to our posterity, but as a reminder to ourselves.

In telling The Good Samaritan’s story  —  his assignment  —  we tell our own.

From within.

Moreover, we learn from it.

And that is our assignment right now.

But who is The Good Samaritan?

According to:

Luke 10:25-28:

“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus.  ‘Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’  ‘What is written in the Law?’ he replied. ‘How do you read it?’  He answered, ‘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, Love your neighbor as yourself.’  ‘You have answered correctly,’  Jesus replied.  ‘Do this and you will live.’”

Luke 10:29-37:

“But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’  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. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ ‘Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?’ The expert in the law replied, ‘The one who had mercy on him.’ Jesus told him, ‘Go and do likewise.’”

We would think that the assignment was obeying the Golden Rule:  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

But I am not quite sure.

I am not sure that The Good Samaritan even considered himself as part of the equation. For him, and of course, I am presupposing, there was a job to do and he did it. The assignment was just that. He saw the issue and he took care of it.

And in relaying the story, Jesus explained that he did what others did not do. Even those, perhaps, of his own race and creed who had saw the helpless man lying on the street. But they chose to ignore him.

To disregard him.

Or pretend not to see him.

And even worse, some may have stepped over him. Or worse: spat at or on him —  in disgust.

They may have called him a bum, a drunkard, a freeloader —  always looking for a handout.

Perhaps,  just like people think and do today? 

And yet, the man was a victim — a victim of robbers who had left him half-dead even though that did not matter.

But The Good Samaritan did not judge the man whatever his case was. That was not the assignment. And he was not a detective. He was the there to fulfill the assignment, and that simply meant rectifying the situation.

And so that is exactly what he did. He had pity. He showed compassion. He went out of his way. To help the stranger — his neighbor. He had mercy.

We are all better because of it.

One day it dawned upon me: God uses a lot of people in The Bible who would were not always from the seed of David. What is revealing is that they do a better job at following His laws, which they know not, better than the Hebrews of the day, better than the Christians of the days.

And better than us.

They do not have to take a poll, and see if it is a popular thing to do. Nor — do they worry whether others will like what they do or not. Or wonder: whether or not their actions will make them fall out of favor with the so-called “in” crowd?

Today’s so-called “in” groups are indeed wide and far, and varying in degrees, from family to politics, and everything else in-between.

We find ourselves forgoing our responsibilities in life, particularly our moral ones, simply because we are yearning to fit in.

I laugh every time I see that mattress commercial whereby the main character does something absolutely psycho, and the other individual queries earnestly with slight disgust in his tone: “How do you sleep at night?”  And the main character replies honestly,  “Just fine…”, and then names on whatever-the-brand is that he sleeps.

It is a creative, hilarious and engaging commercial, but the main character obviously has no shame. What about you?

We live in an era where it is obvious that individuals no longer go where their heart leads them. Nor do they stand on their own, and opt for the road less traveled.

Instead they opt to be people pleasers.

I’m embarrassed to share, but years ago as a child, I was upset because my mother was being The Good Samaritan. Back then, what we referred to as hobos traveled across the country in empty train boxcars, and jumped off in towns along the path, and knocked on neighborhood doors and asked for something to eat.

One morning, or afternoon, that occurred. When a hobo knocked on our door, and asked for a parcel of food, Mama told him to hold on. I watched her go to our frig and take out to give him not a slice or two but half of our loaf of bread, and our bologna to go inside. Yet we were struggling at the time, and as a child, I was upset. It meant there would less for us.

Yes, that meant there would be less for us, and I wondered earnestly: Why was Mama doing such?

I must have been bold enough to question her about her actions. I was actually that peeved inside.

I must have questioned her because her answer was one of the great lessons that I learned that day, and one that has stayed within my heart forever.

She told me that it was our job do even when we only had a little left.

She told me we should even give our last when we could. And maybe she would have done that also if she didn’t have her hungry children in the house, too.

And probably, as an afterthought, she added that in doing so, we never knew whether we were entertaining Jesus or one of His angels.

In doing so, we were abiding by more than the Golden Rule. We were following orders, ingrained in our DNA from the dawn of day, whether we choose to believe or not: “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. “ (Matthew 25:40)

One of the first times I remember completing the assignment: I was coming out of the grocery store, and a few elderly men sat on the side, I believe sharing a can of beans. I don’t really recall, but I gave them a few dollars. And I felt really good.

It was a benefit that I had not expected. I did not miss my money, or what I had planned to do with it later.

One day I did get a little upset, however. I was leaving a neighborhood store, and a tired old man came up to my car and asked for a ride, or money for a taxicab. I opted for the latter, and then it dawned on me what his real intent may be, and I remained parked to see if my suspicions were true. And sure enough, the old man walked into store, and I watched the clerk reach for a small bottle of whiskey from the shelf and hand it to him. I was peeved.

Years later, as I grew older, I had a new perception:  Who was I to judge?  Perhaps, that old man really needed that whiskey at that place and at that time.

I also learned to stop judging. That was not my job. I was not a detective.

I continue to give, and I give with a good heart. The burden was not on me. It was on the beneficiary. I had done my assignment, and therefore, it did not matter if the person was a scammer or a thief or an impersonator.

They would be judged according.

My job was simply to complete the assignment. No more, no less.

And that is exactly what I have done since.

Today many ignore these marching orders, yet march under the banner of Christianity and other religious denominations. But do not pay heed.

And yet The Good Samaritan did not need a banner. He did what was ingrained in his DNA. He did not falter. He did not stumble.

Once he got to the inn, he took care of the man and paid for his upkeep for the next day. Moreover, he also promised the innkeeper that he would pay him on his way back if there were additional expenses. But he did not leave his forwarding address or an IOU bill for the injured man. He simply took care of his bill, and as mentioned, gave his word on any more costs. He went beyond what he was supposed to do.

And then he went on his merry way.

What I found interesting in researching the background of The Good Samaritan for this blog was that “Good”  was never part of the biblical text but added later, according to ChatGPT.

Perhaps, as you read, you are unsure of how you can fulfill your role like The Good Samaritan. Here are 25 recommendations, also courtesy of ChatGPT:

Everyday Acts of Compassion

1.  Help someone with car trouble or offer a ride if they're stranded.
2.  Pay for someone’s groceries or meal unexpectedly, especially if they appear in need.
3.  Hold the door open or help carry heavy items for elderly or disabled individuals.
4.  Check on neighbors who live alone or are elderly—just being present matters.
5.  Give warm clothes or hygiene kits directly to someone experiencing homelessness.

Community Involvement

1.  Volunteer at a local shelter, soup kitchen, or food pantry.
2.  Donate blood or register as an organ donor—simple, lifesaving actions.
3.  Mentor a young person or offer guidance to someone in a difficult life stage.
4.  Support or host refugee families or immigrants trying to establish new lives.
5.  Participate in community clean-ups or neighborhood beautification projects.

Acts of Reconciliation & Inclusion

1.  Stand up against racism, bullying, or injustice, even when it's uncomfortable.
2.  Invite someone who seems left out to join you at lunch, church, or community events.
3.  Listen without judgment to someone with a different worldview or lifestyle.
4.  Use inclusive language that respects dignity and avoids stereotypes.
5.  Give second chances—forgive and help others reintegrate after failures or prison.

Practical Help & Resource Sharing

1.  Create or donate to a care package for a struggling family or single parent.
2.  Offer job referrals or résumé help to someone unemployed or underemployed.
3.  Donate gently used furniture or electronics to someone starting over.
4.  Pay for a hotel room or temporary shelter for someone in an emergency.
5.  Sponsor a child, student, or family through a charitable organization.

Emotional Support & Presence

1.  Pray with or for someone going through hardship.
2.  Be fully present when others are grieving, even if you don’t know what to say.
3.  Send a handwritten note or thoughtful message to someone feeling forgotten.
4.  Visit those in hospitals, prisons, or nursing homes, especially during holidays.
5.  Be kind when no one’s watching—not for credit, but because it’s right.

Let us all strive to become The Good Samaritan today.  He understood the assignment.

That is the lesson we are to learn. That is the big takeaway.

That is our assignment as well. Just one question:  Are we going to practice what we preach?

~ ~ ~

I’m Ruth Anita Foote, an award-winning journalist, historian, author, and online entrepreneur — passionate about helping you enhance your business, career, and lifestyle. Whether you need writing, editing,  research, or online business development, I’m here to support your growth.  My goal is to empower you to elevate your success and make a lasting impact in your field.  You can connect to all my social media platforms through Linktr.ee