"The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But... the good Samaritan reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?""
- Martin Luther King Jr.
About this Quote
This quote by Martin Luther King Jr. talks to the importance of selflessness and compassion. The priest and the Levite asked a question that was focused on themselves, "What will occur to me?" if they stopped to assist the man. The do-gooder, nevertheless, reversed the question and asked, "What will occur to him?" if they did not stop to assist. This quote highlights the value of putting others before ourselves and wanting to compromise our own convenience and security for the advantage of others. It is a suggestion that we need to always make every effort to be like the do-gooder and put the requirements of others prior to our own. We must be willing to go out of our way to help those in need, even if it indicates compromising our own comfort and safety.