The Hidden Lesson of the Good Samaritan

Faithful on the Clock

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In this episode...

The Hidden Lesson of the Good Samaritan

https://faithfulontheclock.captivate.fm/episode/the-hidden-lesson-of-the-good-samaritan

The story of the Good Samaritan teaches us that love can come from those we don’t expect it to come from. But as Episode 109 of Faithful on the Clock shows, it’s also about continuing care for as long as healing takes.

Timestamps:

[00:04] - Intro

[00:31] - Summary of the Good Samaritan story

[02:25] - Most preaching on the Good Samaritan focuses on expectations around who is going to help/who is our neighbor. That’s still highly relevant today given how many conflicts there are.

[03:19] - The last part of the Good Samaritan shows that the Good Samaritan was willing to let being a help to someone else derail his plans. This detail is important for professionals, who place high importance on control and planning.

[04:29] - The last thing the Good Samaritan does is come back to the inn to check on the man he helped and take care of his bill. Like him, we need to return to check on others who are in need.

[05:48] - In the work context, consistently checking on people over and over builds trust, which is essential to relationships that support success.

[06:36] - In The Wounded Healer, Henri Nouwen makes a point about being willing to wait for people as they heal to give them hope. We need to be willing to wait and keep coming back for those who need us.

[07:59] - Assaults can be many types of things. There’s carryover from work to personal life, and boundaries around helping and the time healing takes are messy.

[08:53] - The idea of checking in on people is not new in business — we have heard it many times in the context of following up on prospects. But following up out of love is selfless.

[10:00] - Helping others can be disruptive, but it can earn a priceless loyalty. Showing up over and over to check in on what people need is the core of servant leadership. To ensure you do not suffer burnout, however, you must teach others to follow up in love, too.

[11:21] - Prayer

[12:00] - Outro/What’s coming up next

Key takeaways:

• Most people teach the story of the Good Samaritan as a lesson in loving your enemies. It is that, but the end of the story also teaches a lesson in what good care looks like.
• The Good Samaritan pivoted his plans to help the man on the side of the road. Similarly, you should be willing to pivot your plans to care for others. The concepts of planning and control that are common in the professional world can make this challenging.
• Just as the Good Samaritan stayed with the injured man and came back to the inn later to make sure He was okay, our care of others needs to be a long game. Don’t just swoop in once, leave, and then assume everything is fine.
• Extended, consistent care builds trust that fosters strong relationships, which then facilitate success. Henri Nouwen hits on the responsibility we have to keep waiting for others in his classic book, The Wounded Healer.
• Because work life and personal life affect one another, don’t assume that your responsibility is in only one of those areas. There are no nice, neat boundaries to good care.
• The concept of follow-up is familiar in the business world. But in the office, it’s usually self-centered for your own gain. When you truly follow-up in love, it’s self-centered and might gain you nothing financially at all
• Good servant leadership is essentially the ability to show good extended care. But because no one can help everyone, good servant leaders must tap others they trust to go out and serve in the same way they do.

• What is the meaning of the Parable of the Good Samaritan? | GotQuestions.org

CTAs:

• Carefully observe those in your workplace. Take whatever opportunities you can to see what they need, and follow up through text, email, or just stopping by their desk at an appropriate time. If you don’t get an initial response, persist within respectful boundaries.

What’s coming up next:

What’s really involved in servant leadership? Episode 110 of Faithful on the Clock breaks down the five Ws.

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