THE GOOD SAMARITAN; REVISITED - 10/30/00 03:28 PM
One day, a priest was walking down a country lane when he heard cries
coming from a ditch on the other side of the road.
"Help me! Help me, please!"
The priest stopped and strained his neck to see into the ditch. Then
he called across the road, "What happened to you?"
"I was traveling to town when I was attacked, beaten, and robbed.
Please help me, I can't move," the voice responded.
The priest paused for a moment. Then he yelled back to the voice in
the ditch. "Listen, there's this guy called the Good Samaritan who
always helps people in need. He should be coming down the road any time
now. He'll help you. I don't know anything about first aid and I
wouldn't want to make things worse."
"Wait, you don't understand, I'm..."
But the priest had already gone on his way.
Soon, another man came walking along the road. This man was a Levite.
"Help me! Help me, please!"
The Levite stopped in the road and looked from side to side. "Who was
that? Who said that?"
"I did, over here!" called the voice from the ditch on the other side
of the road.
"You talkin' to me?" asked the Levite.
"Yes, you! I was traveling to town when I was attacked, beaten, and
robbed. I need your help!"
"Oh," said the Levite, gazing into the ditch. "You do sound like
someone who could use some help. Wait a minute! Attacked? Beaten?
Robbed? What a coincidence. That reminds me of a story a fellow named
Jesus told! Ever heard of him?"
"Yeah, I know the story. Now, can you help me?"
"Actually, I'm in quite a rush. But I'm sure that someone else will be
along shortly to help you. Someone called...um...the Good Samaritan!
That's it! He'll be along soon. This is a busy road, you know."
"Couldn't you help me? I'm feeling very weak, I can't..."
"I'm sorry, but I'm not the Good Samaritan. I'm the Levite. If I helped
you, it would ruin the story. You wouldn't want me to do that, now,
would you?"
"No, I wouldn't want you to do that, but I think it's already...Wait!
Come back!"
"Patience there, chap! I'm sure the Good Samaritan will be along
shortly," the Levite said as he went on his way.
"Ohhhh...I can't last much longer," the wounded man said softly.
Soon another man came walking along the same road. He ran over to the
ditch when he heard the man crying.
"Oh my goodness! What happened?"
"I was traveling to town when I was attacked, beaten, and robbed. Two
other men have walked by and haven't helped me. Please help me. I can't
move."
The traveler peered in at the wounded figure lying on the ground in
front of him. Finally he said, "Wait a minute...you look familiar.
Where are you from?"
"Samaria."
"Do you by any chance have a nickname?" he asked, suddenly excited.
"Me? Oh, some people call me the Good Samaritan because I helped an
injured man on this road a while back."
"Yes! Yes! Well, sir, I was the man you helped! All this time I have
been looking for you because I wanted to pay you back! Wow, this is
great! I can't wait until I find my friends and tell them that I
actually met up with you again! And now I can finally pay you back!
Look, here are two silver coins--exactly what you gave that innkeeper.
I feel so much better having finally repaid you. This is wonderful!"
The grateful man, who had himself once been attacked, beaten, and
robbed, laid the two silver coins in the dust next to the wounded man
and then cheerfully went on his way, whistling a happy tune.
"Wait, wait! I don't want your money..." whispered the man from
Samaria. But it was too late. The other man was already gone.
And so, the Good Samaritan died quietly in a ditch by the side of the
road.
Jesus told the original story of the Good Samaritan to teach us how to
love. But like the grateful man in this take on the parable, we
sometimes miss the point. Love is more than words; it's more than a
feeling; more than doing what's easy and convenient. Love means getting
down in the ditch with someone to give them what they really need. It
means getting dirty and being inconvenienced. Sometimes it means laying
down your life for a friend (John 15:13). Jesus did that for us.
Edited from Still More Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice.
wayne@uyt.com
(http://www.YouthSpecialties.com/mall/browse/#illus)
Copyright 1999 by Youth Specialties, Inc.
(http://www.gospelcom.net/ys/)
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What is popular is not always right.
What is right is not always popular.
Gerry B.