The So-so Samaritan?

Love your neighbor as yourself.

Luke 10:27

Princeton University psychologists John Darley and Daniel Batson conducted a landmark study years ago that is now recounted in nearly every university course on social psychology. Here’s what happened:

Darley and Batson met with a group of seminarians, individually, and asked each to prepare a short, extemporaneous talk on a biblical theme, then walk over to a nearby building to present it. Along the way to the presentation, each student ran into a man slumped in an alley, head down, eyes closed, coughing and groaning. The question was, who would stop and help? Darley and Batson introduced three variables into the experiment, to make its results more meaningful. First, before the experiment even started, they gave the students a questionnaire about why they had chosen to study theology. . . . Then they varied the theme the students were asked to talk about. Some were asked to speak on the relevance of the professional clergy to the religious vocation. Others were given the parable of the Good Samaritan [see Luke 10:25-37]. Finally, the instructions given by the experimenters to each student varied as well. In some of the cases . . . the experimenter would look at his watch and say, “Oh, you’re late. They were expecting you a few minutes ago. We’d better get moving.” In other cases, he would say, “It will be a few minutes before they’re ready for you, but you might as well head over now.”^a

Now, which of these seminary students do you think was most likely to stop to help the man in need? Most of us would expect that those who had just read about the Good Samaritan would have been the most likely to stop and help. But we would be wrong.

It is hard to think about a context in which norms concerning helping those in distress are more salient than for a person thinking about the Good Samaritan. . . . Indeed, on several occasions a seminary student going to give his talk on the parable of the Good Samaritan literally stepped over the victim as he hurried on his way. The only thing that really mattered was whether the student was in a rush.^b

We all struggle to set aside self-interest and let go of our personal agendas. Pride, not to mention our schedule, seems to continually interfere with our loving efforts. If we’re honest, on occasion we can even step right over a need that our partner has as we hurry on our way. We have needs, drives, rights, and goals that do not easily harmonize with selfless love. The question is, how can we be a “Good Samaritan” in the relationships that matter most? Can you identify one way you can embody this kind of love today? Keep in mind, self-giving love does not demand a huge sacrifice. Small things done with great love most often characterize the actions of a person who loves like the Good Samaritan.

Don’t look for big things, just do small things with great love.

—Mother Teresa

^a 129

^b 130

From the book