Where have all the Good Samaritans gone?

Dolores Hans
MSMU class of 2025

(11/2023) When did adults stop teaching kids to be Good Samaritans? Growing up, I remember my parents, teachers, and other adults encouraged me to be overly kind and trusting, and to see the good in people, following the example of the Good Samaritan. Some adults weren’t even aware of the religious affiliation of this phrase, but knew it was a quality of person that showed selflessness, dependability, and trust. I was recently reminded of the importance of trust when a stranger, much like the Good Samaritan, selflessly returned a large amount of money that was accidentally sent to her rather than me. She had every opportunity to keep the money for herself, yet she chose to acknowledge that it was a technological mistake and graciously returned it. In an age where technology provides many opportunities for scams and fraud, I tend to miss the simplicity of my childhood. Now, as an adult, I see children being taught that "those who easily trust are easily deceived," and phrases like "stranger danger" or that people will take advantage of them if given the chance.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan comes from The Bible, in the Gospel of Luke. It is as follows: "A man fell victim to robbers…They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise, a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’… Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise’" (Luke 10:29-37).

This passage probably seems as though it takes place in some far-off utopian world, according to now-a-days standards and practices. We used to relate to this story. We used to hear this and think of someone in our lives who was a Good Samaritan to us, the wounded. Or think of a time when we helped someone in need regardless of what was in it for us. Today, we hear this story and ask questions like, "How does the Good Samaritan know he can trust the wounded man not to rob him?" We can all say we understand that when someone is deeply wounded (physically or emotionally) they will turn around and hurt others, especially those who try to help them heal. "What if the wounded man had a past of cruelty and sin? How can the Good Samaritan justify saving them?" Because why lend a hand to someone who could have hurt others? "What if those who robbed him were people that he had wronged? He deserved justice, not help." It is so easy to assume the worst about others.

Isn’t it so easy to justify your own negligence and coldness toward others when you’ve made up a good enough reason? How many times have we walked by a homeless man because we assumed he would just spend the money on drugs or alcohol, which is probably how he ended up in his position anyway? How many times have we walked down the street and assumed the man behind us is following us because men have no control over their desires? How many times have we blamed our parents for our shortcomings because if they had tried to heal from the trauma their parents put them through, we would be better off. How many people are we going to turn our back on because they don’t live up to our standards, or because it is not our job to fix them? "You need to put yourself first." Not selfish. "Don’t give away your trust until they earn it." Better safe than sorry. "Screw your family." They don’t understand or appreciate you. "He won’t share his feelings with me." He must be immature, or cheating, dump him.

When does it end? We are not the only ones hurting. We are not the only ones with responsibilities. We can have every reason in the world not to help, but where will that get us? If we turn our back on someone, regardless of their circumstance, then there is no reason to have hope in the world. And isn’t that what we have become? A hopeless world?

In this world, and especially in this generation, we have put up our guards. We have been taught and trained to assume the worst, to live in fear, and to put ourselves first. But what about the Good Samaritan? Forget about caring for the wounded man by personally bandaging his wounds and bringing him to an inn and spending money to provide him with comfort and security, we can’t even comprehend giving away a meal to a hungry stranger, or engaging in a conversation with someone we think is below us. We can’t even do the bare minimum of trusting our own family and significant others not to deceive us.

I believe that if there was something to change about our world, it would be to restore trust and hope in humanity. We live in a society full of untrustworthy people who scam us and hurt us in countless ways, building us to form distrusting habits and mindsets. Whether it is something as drastic as parents separating, or as simple as returning money that doesn’t belong to us, we assume people will only do what is right and convenient for themselves.

Let us find the Good Samaritans of our time. Let’s honor them, put them on the news rather than all the hate and crime that goes on in our world, and follow their example. What is stopping you from being a Good Samaritan? "Go and do likewise."