Roads Traveled
Who will we notice along the way?
The Parable of the Good Samaritan is one of Jesus’ most approachable stories. People of all ages can step into it, see themselves among the characters, and learn who their neighbor really is.
During a Summerlee Mission Trip in West Virginia, the children and youth rewrote the parable in a way only kids could. Their version unfolded in a school hallway. A boy was beaten up by bullies and left against the wall. The principal walked by. His favorite teacher walked by. But the one who stopped to help was every elementary school boy’s worst nightmare: a girl with cooties.
It is not hard for us to come up with our own renditions of this parable. We can imagine the pathway, maybe a 20-foot hallway between homeroom and the gym, or a 20-mile journey from Jerusalem to Jericho.
Perhaps the easiest character to cast is the enemy. The one we talk about behind their back. The one we fear. The one who keeps us up at night.
The characters who pass by are also easy to name as well. These are the people we or the world place on a pedestal, those who have climbed the ladder of success, those who should act right in public. Yet deep down we know their flaws, and if we are honest, sometimes we even delight when their flaws are exposed for all to see.
Whether we notice it or not, we tend to place ourselves in one of two roles: either the hero who offers help or the victim who needs it. Both take courage. It takes courage to reach out, and it also takes courage to admit our need. That is why this parable carries an element of surprise. No one expects to be hurt and no one expects an enemy to be the one who stops to help.
In Jesus’ day, Jews and Samaritans both claimed to worship the God of Israel, but with different Scriptures, temples, and practices. Their biggest disagreement was where to worship God. Jews worshiped in Jerusalem. Samaritans on Mount Gerizim. Each thought the other was wrong. So when Jesus told a story in which a Samaritan cared for a Jewish man, his listeners would have been stunned. He was asking them to imagine an act of love across the deepest divide they knew.
We see this tension in other places of scripture too. In the Gospel of John, a Jewish rabbi named Jesus speaks with a Samaritan woman at a well. That story ends with her becoming the first witness to the Messiah. And just a chapter before this parable in Luke, a Samaritan village refuses to welcome Jesus, and the disciples want to call down fire. Instead, Jesus rebukes his disciples, not the Samaritans.
In returning to this parable, no one expected a Samaritan to care for a Jewish man in the ditch. Yet Jesus tells a story where he does. He treats him not as an enemy but as someone dear. His actions show what love truly looks like, a love that builds a bridge across a great divide.
The one character we might overlook in the story is the lawyer who asked Jesus the question: “Who is my neighbor?” Perhaps he was really asking: “Who is not my neighbor?” Who can I cross off my list so I can get eternal life right?
We often ask the same thing. Who deserves our time? Who can someone else take care of? Who is in, and who is out? But Jesus does not let us shorten the list. He tells a story that expands it beyond what we would ever choose.
Sometimes the characters in our stories are not enemies at all. They are simply two beloved children of God who find themselves in the same place at the same time. One has a need greater than the other, and one chooses to notice and respond. In that moment, both catch a glimpse of the kingdom.
We often think of eternal life as what awaits us after death. Yet Jesus reminds us that God’s kingdom is already here. It appears in his footsteps, in his presence, and in the small moments where love is shared with no strings attached.
That is one of the most beautiful parts of this parable: the Samaritan asks for nothing in return. The two men do not exchange contact information. The Samaritan does not send a bill for the bandages or the inn. The Jewish man does not send a thank-you card. Love is offered freely, without expectation, simply for the sake of love itself. As 1 John 4:19 reminds us, ‘We love because God first loved us.
That is the freedom of abundant life, the life Jesus brought, and the life God longs for every one of his children.
Walking in Jesus’ footsteps is not easy though. The road often looks less like a smooth highway or a prosperous boulevard and more like the dirt road to Jericho or the linoleum hallway to homeroom. These are the places where Jesus walks with us, urging us to notice him and the needs of others.
The characters may change. The settings may shift. But two things remain: Jesus is always present, and in this broken world, there will always be needs. It is up to us to notice both.
When we do, when we dare to love without expecting anything back, the kingdom of God shows up right where we are. And that is a story worth living, and worth telling.
Summerlee Mission
Click here to learn more about the annual Summerlee mission trips to West Virginia.
I will be forever grateful to the late Steve Yancey and Curtis Foltz (and many others), who noticed the needs of others above their own and offered love year after year during the summers at Summerlee. I join their families in missing these two men of great courage and humble service.
Upcoming Western N.C. Mission Trip, October 26 - November 1, 2025
Half the spots are already filled for our trip to Canton, NC, where we will serve with Helene Recovery Efforts. Thanks to a Shenandoah Presbytery grant, lodging is covered, and participants only cover food ($100) and transportation costs.
So far, participants range in age from 29 to 77 and come from both Virginia and West Virginia. Learn more by clicking here and sign up by the end of September by emailing me at aprilhcranford@gmail.com.
Mum Fundraiser
Last but not least, our fall mum fundraiser is underway where all proceeds support the building supplies for the 2026 Baja Mission Trip. Each mum is $25.00. Colors are purple, lavender, pink, yellow, white, rust, burgundy, and orange. Orders and deliveries are happening now. Payments can be made by check, cash, or Venmo @aprilcranford. Email your questions and orders to me at aprilhcranford@gmail.com.
May we walk hard roads with Christ and help others, whether they are friend, stranger, or enemy, as we share love along the way.
Serve and Love well,
Rev. April H. Cranford
A question to mull over.