Just a quick scan of the internet will tell us the myth of the “good Samaritan” is alive and well. A mother searches for the good person that saved her daughter out of the kindness of his heart; a stranger pays someone’s fuel bill without asking anything in return; someone helps another avoid a suicide attempt; and a neighbor's cat is rescued. We all wipe away tears when we hear of these heartwarming stories.
However, caring for others may not come naturally. We tend to become preoccupied with our own wants and desires ignoring needs of those around us. We can even justify to ourselves and friends and family that we each should take care of our own responsibilities and not be bothered by anyone who needs help. This is sometimes the mindset of those who don’t want to become involved even when someone is in danger or in an emergency situation.
Why Should We?
So what happens, then, when we ourselves need help? And, of course, at some point in life, we will, indeed, be in a situation when that occurs. No one can go through life totally alone and expect to never need another to help us out. Recently an article mentioned, we unfortunately may only ever know no more than two of our neighbors at any one point in time. And that is just a friendly wave or a one-syllable “Hi”. Knowing the names of people living around us is an additional step. Inviting that neighbor for coffee or dinner, is almost unheard of in our world.
So what is the point of of being that person who is willing to drop everything and become a “Good Samaritan’? Why should we in the first place? If we choose to have compassion for another person we step out of ourselves and may, then, avoid our own pity party surrounding problems in our lives. Amazingly, we may even arrive at a solution in the midst of others’ dilemmas.
Of course simply helping someone, when we could just walk away, will help us grow in unexpected ways as a human being. Selfishness is a childish trait that is not very attractive in an adult. We would never want to admit such a thing or be known as that kind of person. We may have lived with a person who exhibited this very same personality characteristic and it was difficult and frustrating for us to deal with such a lack of compassion. We are better than that, so consider these benefits that are showered on us when we demonstrate a generous nature.
Nine Blessings of a Good Samaritan:
- We naturally become givers in all things
- We will prosper and be refreshed
- We are protected against criticism
- Wisdom, faith and knowledge grows
- Goodness will be heaped upon us
- Our reputations will be remembered
- We will have influence and honor
- We will “reap what we sow”
- Our world is filled with joy and light, rather than darkness
We are given unique abilities and born into a certain time and place whereby, we have what we need to help those put in our path. As humans, we can recognize our own responsibilities and duty when it comes to being that neighbor whom everyone can count on to help. Someone who is always there. Being neighborly can catch on fast, so be the first on your block!
“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” Galatians 6:9 NLT.
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