“And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.” — Luke 10: 37
In Luke 10, famous for the parable of the Good Samaritan, a lawyer asked Jesus what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus first asked the lawyer what the Bible told him on the subject and the lawyer recited the great commandments to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself.
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers,” asked Jesus. That was the Master’s question. The lawyer could not help answering, “The one who showed mercy to him.”
Then came the application, “Go — and DO likewise.” Luke 10:37
It is not enough to hear good lessons, or look on good examples. When we have heard and seen — we must go out and DO the good things which are so beautiful, which our judgment commends.
It is not enough for the artist to have lovely visions in his mind — he must get his visions on the canvas, where they will be blessings to the world.
It is a precious privilege to look at noble lives and to read heavenly counsels. But we must reproduce in disposition, in act, in character, in our own lives — the excellent things we read.
Now we have read and understand the story of the Good Samaritan. Is that all we need to do? No! We must, “Go — and DO likewise!”
J.R. Miller was a pastor and former editorial superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication from 1880 to 1911. His works are now in the public domain.
PHOTO CAPTION: “Parable of the Good Samaritan” by Jan Wijnants (1670) is a painting in the collection of the Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg (Public Domain)
