I have just got back from my daily stroll, during which I managed to listen to yesterday and today’s ‘Bible in one year’ readings. Yesterday’s included the Parable of the Good Samaritan – probably a Parable we are all familiar with but if not then click here.

When Jesus is talking about the Priest and the Levite he said that when they saw the injured man they ‘passed by on the other side’ – this would have been seen as atrocious at the time. However, having just got back from my daily stroll, there was a lot of passing by on the other side. We are currently having to work out who is going to cross over the road, walk on a different path, or hide in a cove in the bushes.

To be a Good Samaritan at the moment is to walk the other way, to cross the road, to hide. But if we allow ourselves to think slightly differently then we can all be the neighbours that Jesus was illustrating when telling this Parable. Letting others know when you’re shopping so that less people need to go; keeping in touch with people – not just family but those who are alone; showing support to all our key workers; finding out what volunteering opportunities there are in your community.

I hope it is obvious that you shouldn’t put yourself or anyone else at risk, but there are still ways of being a Good Samaritan and ironically passing by on the other other side is definitely one!

God bless and stay safe