“The health of our bodies, the passions of our minds, the noise and hurry and pleasures and business of the world, lead us on with eyes that see not and ears that hear not.” – William law

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading [of it]?” So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain [man] went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded [him], and departed, leaving [him] half dead. “Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. “Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. “But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. “So he went to [him] and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. “On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave [them] to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ “So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Luke 10:25-37, NKJV

In research done by Darley and Batson at Princeton in 1973, a group of theology students was told that they were to go across campus to deliver a sermon on the topic of the Good Samaritan. As part of the research, some of these students were told that they were late and needed to hurry up. Along their route across campus, Darley and Baston had hired an actor to play the role of a victim who was coughing and suffering.

Ninety percent of the “late” students in Princeton Theology Seminary ignored the needs of the suffering person in their haste to get across campus. As the study reports, “Indeed, on several occasions, a seminary student going to give his talk on the parable of the Good Samaritan literally stepped over the victim as he hurried away!”

Source: Marshall Goldsmith, “Goal 1, Mission 0,” Fast Company (August 2004)

Amazingly, sometimes we can study God’s word and fail to apply it to how we live. The seminary students we just read about had probably parsed the Greek verbs in the good Samaritan passage and would have told you with passion what the Levite and Priest should have done… yet presented with the same circumstances, they found themselves doing the very same thing.

Oh, what a difference hurry makes. Take time to read and really hear God’s word today. Find a way to apply this passage to your life. Make sure you don’t hurry past the application, but sit with it long enough to pray through your day. It’s hard to be a neighbor when you’re in a hurry.

Father, thank you for your word. I don’t want to be the guy who reads your word and knows what to do, but forgets to do it because I’ve gotten in such a rush. Help me to be a good neighbor to those who need one today. Let me be on time for the appointments that you place in my path. Let me recognize where you are at work and where you might use me for your kingdom and glory. In Jesus Name, Amen.