David Garlock on How Bryan Stevenson is the Perfect Example of the Good Samaritan

The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of BCNN1.

As a client of Bryan Stevenson, whose life is featured in the new film “Just Mercy” (Jan. 10), I have been able to have a different view of him for the past 12 years. The media and public have been able to see the amazing work that Bryan and the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) have been doing for the past 30 years and being enamored with his incredible oratory skills.

I have seen the three points from the parable of the Good Samaritan daily. In this parable, you have a Jew who was traveling and fell amongst robbers who stole all his goods and pummeled him, leaving him to die. There were two religious leaders who came by and saw the man but went about the business without giving this man a second thought.

This is from Luke 10:33-35: “A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man’s condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill — I’ll pay you on my way back.’

The Good Samaritan did three main things that changed the life of the man who had been robbed. Bryan has done and continues to do these three things. They both 1) Saw something 2) Felt Something and then 3) Did Something. The Good Samaritan saw that the man was in need. He felt compassion and sorrow for this man and his state. Then he performed first aid, lead him on his donkey to an inn, and then paid for his stay at the inn until he was well. Without this man, he would have surely died.

When Bryan first walked into the Georgia prison and met his first death row inmate, he saw that there was a need. This is what began to churn the passion and desire to help the marginalized and outcast. He saw someone his own age and with the same background. This rocked him to the core. Bryan also saw youth arrested and being housed with adults. He heard stories of what the other incarcerated individuals and the prison staff did to these individuals. He saw my brother and me, the way that the system did not properly investigate our allegations, and the way that our lawyers didn’t fully fight for us. They were content on pleading us out. Recently, Bryan has seen that there was nothing being said or done about the lynchings that occurred. He took the time to notice all of this and to be proximate.

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SOURCE: Christian Post, David Garlock