I was moved today by the image on the cover of the church program for Sacrament Meeting. It was an artist's depiction of the story of "The Good Samaritan."

I wanted to see how other artists have interpreted this same scene, so I did an Internet search. There were countless renditions:


I was surprised to see how many of the artistic greats throughout the centuries chose to interpret this particular story through the medium of art.

Domenico Fetti (c. 1589 – 1623)
Italian Baroque Painter

Delacroix (1798 – 1863)
French Romantic artist

Van Gogh (1853 –1890)
Dutch Post-Impressionist Painter
It's obvious that this is a parable that has deeply resonated with mankind for generations upon generations.
There is a commonality in all the different artistic versions I looked at. The person the Samaritan is aiding isn't someone who could simply use a helping hand. As the scriptures teach, the man has been stripped, wounded, and left half dead. All of the artists clearly demonstrate this helplessness on the face and in the body language of the wounded man. He is totally helpless and completely at the mercy of anyone willing to come to his rescue.
Seeing these pictures gave me the desire to study the parable in the Bible again
(Luke 10).
The Savior gives this parable in response to a question posed by a lawyer who is hoping to trap Christ in His own words based on the law. The man asks the Lord, "Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus wisely asks the lawyer to refer to what is written in the law. The man responds with the two greatest commandments: 1) Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind 2) and thy neighbour as thyself. The Lord agrees and says, "this do, and thou shalt live." Insistent upon trying to provoke the Savior, the man asks, "And who is my neighbor?"
It is at this moment that the Lord teaches him the parable of the good Samaritan. It was very telling for me when I focused on the characteristics of the good Samaritan:
1)
He is compassionate. He doesn't see the injured man as a Jew and himself as a Samaritan who don't speak to one another; rather, he sees the man as someone who needs his help. How often do we refrain for talking to someone who looks like they need us because they intimidate us or they aren't in our immediate circle of friends?
2)
He takes the time to bind the man's wounds. He doesn't drag him somewhere for someone else to help him. Sometimes, we want to be charitable, but only to a certain extent, depending on what we have time for or what we feel comfortable doing. We are willing to serve in some ways, but not others.
3)
He gives the man his own beast to ride. Although the scriptures don't specifically say, I doubt it was an incredibly short walk to the inn where he brought the man for help. It's easy to give something we don't really need to a worthy cause. How much more difficult is it to serve when it comes at the sacrifice of something that brings us comfort or even something we need?
4)
He brings him to safety. The Samaritan doesn't just bind the man's wounds and wish him well. He takes him to a place where he can safely recover. Who knows where the Samaritan's intended destination was and how far out of his way the inn was. How can I help people find safety from the storm, whether physically or figuratively? Do I bring people to the gospel, which is the ultimate refuge from the difficulties of the world? Is it too far out of my way to bring them to the scriptures, to prayer, to the Lord?
5)
He stays with him and takes care of him. Following up with those we serve is so important. In October, I wrote about "The Widow's Might," a service project our stake did. My friend Eric visited a sweet elderly widow who had recently lost her husband. I found out during the holidays that he went back a couple times since then to drop off flowers. We were able to accompany him just before Christmas to her home. She was brimming with gratitude and expressed how much she needed our visit, as this was her first Christmas without her companion. Eric could have easily gone to the service project in October, patted his back for visiting some women in need, and continued on with life. But he didn't forget his widow. What a beautiful example that was to me.
6)
When the Samaritan eventually has to leave, he makes sure someone else is caring for the Jew. The good Samaritan asks for the help of others to watch over the man he saved. How can I better recruit loving leaders, friends, family members, and people with expertise I don't possess to help those who are crying out for help when I can't do it alone? As a teacher, I've had experiences where students have come to me with problems I don't know how to resolve. How grateful I am for counselors, administrators, and colleagues who are trained to help and have more experience than I do. Do I seek help from others?
I'm touched by the parallel of the Savior as the ultimate Good Samaritan. Each one of us is severely wounded by sin. We are completely at the mercy of someone to stop and save us from death and misery. There is only one who can, and that is Jesus Christ, our Savior. He is not in our "league" so to speak. He is greater than us all. But he stops anyway. He gently picks us up, binds our wounds through His atoning sacrifice, and leaves the Holy Ghost, prophets, and leaders, families, and friends to watch over us in His absence here on earth. I love Him and am so grateful that even though I am a mortal being, I can feel His spirit healing me when I need Him so desperately.
This was one of my favorite images that came up on my Internet search of "The Good Samaritan." It reminds me in such a simple way how this parable applies to each of us.