Today, March 13th, is National Good Samaritan Day. According to good old Google, a Samaritan is "a charitable or helpful person," referencing the Biblical story in Luke 10. This parable, although a common one now, was really uncomfortable for those who heard it at the time. Essentially, a guy asked Jesus what he had to do to get into heaven, and Jesus told him to love God and to love his neighbor. This dude, getting a little nit-picky (as we humans are prone to do), wanted Jesus to define exactly who his neighbor was. And because Jesus is a total rockstar, He flipped the question and told a parable to let the man figure it out for himself.
The road the injured man was lying on was narrow – a priest and a Levite, the two supposedly "better thans" in that society, literally stepped over an injured and half-dead man. But then a Samaritan, an outcast, stopped, put the man on his own donkey, and put him up in an inn while recuperating, then covered his medical bills. The neighbors we need to love won't always be half-dead on paths in front of us. They might look like the one super-chatty kid in Sunday school who never stops talking, but we need to love anyway. They might be our parents and siblings who just annoyed or hurt us, but we need to love them anyway. They might be just be the person behind us in line for coffee that we never thought to smile at. With that in mind, here are 13 super simple ways to show be a Good Samaritan/nice human to the people around you. 1. Pay for the person behind you. Whether it's a coffee, a Happy Meal, or groceries, it can make someone's day in an instant (and sometimes inspires them to start a chain of kindness!) 2. Like every photo on your Instagram feed. Okay, yes, this one is super corny, but it's a really easy way to make someone feel a little better about their sunset or selfie post. It takes less than a second to double-tap and can be a nice gesture. 3. Leave a tip. This is a particularly nice one for baristas or waitresses on a busy day (or any day). 4. Say please and thank you (and smile a little, would ya?). It really is the little things, y'all – use your manners :) 5. Hold the door for the person behind you. It takes an extra 3 seconds and almost everyone will appreciate it, whether or not they express that verbally. 6. Hand-write a "thinking of you" card. You don't need a reason, it doesn't have to be a special occasion – take 5 minutes and drop a note to a friend "just because" so they have something to open besides bills and coupons. 7. Send an encouraging text/Snapchat. Or, *gasp* make a phone call. Remind your best friend that she is a rockstar, tell your parent or guardian why you specifically appreciate him/her, or leave a voicemail telling your grandparents how cool they are. This will take 30 seconds and is a guaranteed way to improve even the crappiest of days. 8. Pick up something (or someone). Going grocery shopping? Ask your neighbor if she needs a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread. Have a car on campus? Message a freshman and ask if they want to run errands or if they need a ride somewhere. 9. Learn someone's Love Language and express it. People receive love through quality time, acts of service, gifts, words of affirmation, and/or physical touch. Grab coffee with a friend you haven't seen in a while. Do a load of laundry or clean the kitchen for your parent/significant other. Pick up a small item for someone just because it reminds you of them. Look someone in the eye and tell them why you appreciate them. Hug your spouse/sibling. Rinse and repeat. 10. Leave a note in a book you read when you return it. Stick a post-it or an index card somewhere in a book you borrow from the library or from a friend. It can be as simple as a smiley face or as personal as a prayer, but leave a fun surprise for the next reader :) 11. Compliment a stranger. Yeah, it can be awkward and you should obviously use discernment (for example, telling a women walking on a dark, lonely street that she has a wonderful dress on may not be taken well). But take 3 seconds to look up from your phone/book/homework to tell someone that their shoes are great or that you love how their hair looks. 12. Do something pro-bono. Offer to watch your neighbor's kids so she can get out of the house by herself for an hour. Shovel someone's driveway or *carefully* scrape ice off of their windshield. Drop off a casserole (or Chinese take-out) for someone. 13. Ask how you can help. When all else fails, use your words and just ask how you can make someone's day better. You'd be surprised how much something little you can offer can impact someone.
0 Comments
|
LizWriting, running, reading, and keeping it real along the way. Archives
February 2022
Categories
All
|