When Jesus of Nazareth walked this earth, he continually met people trying to justify themselves. These people tried to show themselves to be righteous and acceptable for God. One particular lawyer, evidently a man who had done much good, put Jesus to a test saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answered him with the poignant and lasting parable of the good Samaritan.

I read the parable of the Samaritan many times before I grasped its full significance. The Samaritan performed good deeds. Yet he performed them in an almost anonymous way. In fact, Jesus did not even bother to give him a name. I have often wondered what the Good Samaritan’s name was. This man who used his wealth, his possessions, and his managerial ability for a fallen comrade - what was his name? …