Living LifeWise: The Good SamaritanSample

In 1964, a crime took place on a New York City street, and many nearby residents failed to help or alert authorities. Psychologists later studied the incident and identified what is now called the bystander effect—the tendency for people to be less likely to intervene in an emergency when others are present. The more bystanders there are, the lower the chance that anyone will step in to assist, while individuals are more likely to act when they are alone or among only a few witnesses.

While the priest and Levite in the parable weren’t surrounded by a crowd, the same instinct to avoid personal cost or responsibility often keeps us from stepping in when someone needs help. We see needs all around us—at work, at school, in our communities—and quietly decide, “Someone else will help. I don’t have time. It’s not my problem.”

Their response reminds us that knowing God’s Word is not the same as living it. These men, respected for their roles in worship and temple service, missed the heart of the law they claimed to uphold: to love God and love people.

Love takes action. It moves us beyond good intentions or quick prayers into compassion that costs us something. It may cost us time, comfort, convenience, or resources. And it will always cost us pride, because it requires seeing others as more important than ourselves.

Jesus doesn’t just call us to notice needs; He calls us to step into them. When we remember how He saw us in our desperate state and entered into our brokenness, it becomes harder to justify crossing to the other side of the road.

Reflect: Think about a time when you saw a need but hesitated to respond. What held you back—fear, inconvenience, or assuming someone else would step in?

• What excuses do you make when you see someone in need?
• How does this part of the story challenge your definition of love?
• What step of action could you take this week to show Christ-like love?

Pray: Ask God to help you see needs clearly and respond with courage and compassion.