STORIES FOR KIDS// A LESSON IN KINDNESS.

Hello kids, I know your will like to hear some stories. This story too is fictional but packed with lessons. It is one of the interesting stories you can find in the bible, told by the good teacher Jesus' himself. It is the story of the good Samaritan.

As at the time Jesus told this story, the Jews and the Samaritans are in great dispute. The Jews sees the Samaritans as enemies and also the Samaritans see the Jews as great foes. On the other hand, both the Samaritans and the Jews suppose to be friends because they are family. Both are Israelites and descend from one ancestor - Jacob. How do the two brother become enemies ? Well, because of different religious views. The Jews believe that God should be worshiped at the temple built by Solomon. The Samaritans believe that God should be worshiped at the mountains. The Jews, thought that the Samaritans way of worship dishonor God. The Samaritans hate the Jews for their hate of their kin.

Amidst this heated dispute, Jesus told a story of a good Samaritan.

A man , a Jew was attacked by the robbers. The robbers took his belongings, leaving him half dead. He was in a helpless situation and needed kindness.

Now it happened that a fellow Jew was passing on the road. He met the wounded man in the road helpless and he passed along and look another away. Also came a priest, a man who served at the temple where the wounded man worshiped. He equally saw him needing help and yet, he turned a blind eye and refused to help him.

Third came a Samaritan, a prophesied enemy of a Jew. He saw the man needing help and decided to help. He did not enquire of his race or tribe nor nationality. He simply extended help. He took the enjured man to a hospital and paid the bills, he even paid extra for a nanny to take care of the man.

After telling the story, Jesus asked: "who amongst these made himself a neighbor to the wounded man?" The answer is obvious!

Jesus' story was used to answer the question to which an enquirer asked him - "who really is my neighbor?"

Now, having listened to the story: who really made himself a neighbor? - the Samaritan.
By virtue of blood, tribe, nationality and religion, we would say that the man in the story is a neighbor to Jew or the priest. Yet, how far they fail when it comes to showing neighborly act.

What is the point.?

• Do not choose friends based on skin colour or tribe or nationality.
• Do not show care to only those that speaks our language or practice our religion.
• Everyone is our neighbor, so be kind to strangers.
• Those whom we despise may be our savior someday. Do not hate anyone.

Reference:

Luke 10:29-37

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