What does a good Christian look like?

My pastor has taught me that the parable of the Good Samaritan is a great model for living as a Christian.

It’s a familiar story. Jesus tells this story in response to the question “who is my neighbor?”

You can read the full story here … but here’s the summary. A man is robbed and left by the side of the road. Two people pass him by without helping. Finally the good Samaritan walks by.

What if Christians followed this model for being a neighbor to the world around them?

• ALERT EYES - But a Samaritan, as he traveled,  came where the man was; and when he saw  him … this Samaritan is going about his daily routine – he wasn’t on a mission trip or a service project or a church event.  His EYES are scanning his surroundings. He doesn’t just have his iPod on tuning out the world and thinking only of himself.
• COMPASSIONATE HEART – … he took pity on him … his HEART had compassion in it. He was selfless.  Things happened before this moment to prepare this Samaritan’s heart to not be cold and distant, but to be warm and open.
• QUICK FEET – He went to him … His FEET took him closer. He didn’t just care from a distance – he was willing to get close.  This wasn’t just “I’ll pray for you brother” it was an up close and personal encounter.
• ACTIVE HANDS – … and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. … The Samaritan was willing to get his HANDS dirty as he bandaged the wounded man.  Can you imagine tending to the wounds of a stranger?

Then to top it all off, he we GENEROUS with his money by paying for the man to stay at the inn.

That’s Jesus’ definition of a neighbor.

What if Christians lived each day with alert eyes, compassionate hearts, quick feet, active hands and a generous attitude?

This parable has greatly inspired our definition of a TRADER.  Part of it reads …

A Trader is a new kind of missionary, not defined by geography, but defined by a resolve to …

CHOOSE DAILY to sacrifice our time and money to apply the parable of the Good Samaritan and to “go and do likewise.”

Is this parable missing anything in terms of how Christians should interact with the world around them?