Are you a neighbor to your coworkers?
I suspect that you have all heard of the parable of the Good Samaritan as recounted in Luke 10:25-37. However, I wonder, though, if you have ever thought about this parable applying to your workplace?
Oh, if you’ve forgotten some of the details of this parable, don’t worry, I’m going to give you some background first.
The Lawyer’s Test
A lawyer, expert in Jewish law, decided to set Jesus up for a test by asking what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus turned the question around on the man asking, what do you think?
The man gave Jesus an excellent answer. Quoting from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, the lawyer said,
“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'” (Luke 10:27).
Then, instead of admitting that he could never meet this requirement, the lawyer pressed Jesus further by asking, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus’ Answer
Jesus answered the lawyer with the parable of the Good Samaritan.
“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. And by chance, a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise, a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return, I will repay you.’” (Luke 10:30-35).
When He finished the parable, Jesus asked the lawyer, who was acting as a neighbor to the injured man? Again, the lawyer answered correctly, saying the Samaritan who helped him acted as a neighbor.
Who Is My Neighbor?
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, there are four central characters; the injured man, a priest, a Levite, and a Samaritan.
The priest walked to the other side of the road to avoid the injured man.
The Levite saw the man, perhaps he was slightly curious. Nonetheless, he walked by the injured man on the other side of the road.
Finally, a Samaritan came along. Now the Samaritans were outcasts among the Jews. The Samaritans were half-breeds; Jews who had intermarried with pagans in the north. Over time, the Samaritans had become despised by the Jewish people.
Despite the hostility between the Jews and the Samaritan people, it was a Samaritan man who stopped, tended to the injured man, and even paid for the man’s care until he was well.
Jesus said the Samaritan, who put aside hostility and showed compassion to the injured Jew, was the one person who acted like a neighbor. The priest did not. Neither did the Levite.
A Neighbor in the Workplace?
So, applying the parable of the Good Samaritan to our workplace, the question arises, who is our neighbor in the workplace?
The answer is, everyone. In the parable, Jesus taught us the person we should emulate is the Samaritan who showed compassion for his fellow man. We should not emulate the priest or the Levite, who ignored the man and left him to die at the side of the road.
Yes, our neighbor in the workplace is everyone, even those who think and believe differently than we do. Perhaps especially these people.
Samaritan’s Response
Four things are worth noting regarding the Samaritan’s response to the injured man. Each can be applied to our workplace.
First, the Samaritan saw the injured man’s needs. The priest and the Levite saw the injured man but chose to ignore him.
How often are we so preoccupied with the demands of the workday, that we ignore the subtle cries for help coming from a co-worker? Let’s slow down just a bit and get closer to our coworkers so we can see when they need help.
Second, the Samaritan had compassion for the injured man. The priest and the Levite saw the man, but their hearts were hardened. Perhaps they thought they were too important or too busy to stop. Perhaps they thought, someone else will help the man not so with the Samaritan. His heart was full of compassion for the injured man. He stopped and render aid.
Ask yourself, are you seeing a coworker in need, but thinking you’re too busy or too important to stop and help? Let’s open our hearts and have compassion for those who need help, even those who think and believe differently than us!
Third, the Samaritan took immediate action. The Samaritan provided first aid to the injured man. He dressed the injured man’s wounds with oil and bandages.
How often do we spot a coworker who needs help? We see they need help. We know they need help. But we think I’ll tend to him or her later. Then later becomes never. When we see a coworker who needs help, we must care enough to stop and take action now.
Fourth, the Samaritan continued to care for the injured man. After rendering first aid, the Samaritan put the injured man on his donkey and walked to the nearest town. There he engaged the services of the hotel manager to take care of the man. He even paid for the man’s care.
Are there people who need your help, you help for five minutes, and then rush off to do whatever is more important to you? Sometimes we need to invest more time to help someone and care enough to use our own resources. We must be prepared to help as long as it takes.
Be A Light
I know. What I am suggesting is counter-cultural. We are busy and important, and we have our own responsibilities. But remember, it was the Samaritan, not the priest and not the Levite who Jesus said we should emulate.
The reason is when we act as a caring compassionate neighbor, we will stand out in this crazy, selfish world. Our acts of compassion and kindness will make a difference.
Remember, Jesus told us we are to be a light to the world. We are to let our light shine so others will see our good deeds and be drawn to the Father (Matthew 5:14-16).
Letting our light shine through acts of compassion and kindness is how we become better neighbors to our coworkers!
More Articles
I’ve written many articles about character over the years. You can search for “character” to find them, or you can check out the links below for five of the most recent articles.
- #348: What Kind of Legacy Are You Leaving?
- #347: Leadership is Taking Responsibility for Lives, Not Numbers!
- #334: If You’re Not Rowing, You’re Drifting
- #332: What Is the Wrong Way to Achieve Greatness?
- #325: Do Hard Workers Make The Best Neighbors?
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. Is there someone in your workplace you need to help? Is there someone in your workplace who needs a neighbor?
I’d love your help. This blog is read primarily because of people like you who share it with friends. Would you be kind enough to share it by pressing the share button?
Category: Personal Development | Character
