In the Bible, Jesus often employed parables to convey his messages. One of my personal favorites is the parable of the Good Samaritan. The account is found in Luke (10:30-35):
A Jew was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. He was already almost to his destination when he fell into the hands of robbers. He was alone and he couldn’t do anything. The robbers stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.
A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. “I don’t want to get involved with this,” he must have said to himself. The same reaction was manifested by another religious man. When he came to the place and saw the dying man, he passed by on the other side.
And so it came to pass that a Samaritan – a person who lived in Samaria, a district next to Judea and Galilee, and Jews considered them foreigners – passed by the place. When he saw the man, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.
The following day, the “Good Samaritan,” as some Bible scholars called him, took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. “Look after him,” he told him, “and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.”
The parable was narrated by Jesus in response to a question: “Who is my neighbor?”
Actually, Jesus affirmed what Moses had written in Leviticus 19:18: “Thou shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself.” Today, it is considered the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matthew 7:12).
Billy Graham was one of the most influential religious leaders in the United States. In his new book, The Journey, he offered some insights into achieving greater happiness. One of them was the Golden Rule and he had this version: “Treat others as you’d want them to treat you.”
Religious figures have also stated the Golden Rule in different ways. Confucius said, “What you do not wish upon yourself, extend not to others.” The prophet Muhmmad in The Farewell Sermon stated, “Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you.”
Philosophers and other famous historical personalities have given their own versions. “Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live,” said Oscar Wilde. “Treat your inferiors as you would be treated by your superiors,” Seneca pointed out.
“All human morality is contained in these words: make others as happy as you yourself would be, and never serve them more ill than you would yourself be served,” wrote Marquis de Sade in Dialogue Between a Priest and a Dying Man. Eleanor Roosevelt contributes, “It is not fair to ask of others what you are unwilling to do yourself.”
Allow me to share this story, the original author of which I am unfortunately unaware:
Once, a teacher in New York made the decision to recognize each of her high school seniors by highlighting the unique contributions they made. Utilizing a method created by Helice Bridges from Del Mar, California, she invited each student to the front of the classroom, one by one. Initially, she expressed how each student had a positive impact on her and the class. Subsequently, she awarded each student a blue ribbon adorned with gold lettering that stated: “Who I am makes a difference.”
Following this, the teacher resolved to initiate a class project to assess the effect of recognition on a community. She provided each student with three additional ribbons and instructed them to disseminate this acknowledgment ceremony. They were then to follow up on the outcomes and report back to the class in one week.
One of the boys approached a junior executive and honored him for his assistance with career planning. He presented him with the blue ribbon, along with two extra ribbons, and stated, “We are conducting a class project on recognition, and we would appreciate it if you could find someone to honor, present them with a blue ribbon, and then give them the additional ribbon so they can acknowledge a third individual to perpetuate this acknowledgment ceremony. Afterward, please return to me and share what transpired.”
Later that day, the junior executive approached his boss, who was known for his grumpy demeanor. He expressed his deep admiration for the boss’s creativity and requested that he recognize another individual with the remaining ribbon. The boss was taken aback by this unexpected honor.
That evening, he returned home and shared the news with his 14-year-old son. “An astonishing event occurred today,” he remarked. “One of the junior executives came to me, expressed his admiration, and presented me with a blue ribbon for my creative abilities.
“I began to contemplate whom I would like to honor, and you came to mind. I wish to honor you. At times, I raise my voice when you struggle with your grades or when your room is untidy. But tonight, I simply want you to know that you truly matter. Apart from your mother, you are the most significant person in my life.”
The boy began to weep uncontrollably, his entire body trembling. He looked up through his tears and said, “I had planned to take my own life tomorrow, Dad, because I believed you did not love me. Now, I see that I no longer need to.”
