A Puppet Parable for Kids: Who Is The Good Samaritan?
In this Juice Box episode, families will hear the Good Samaritan story in a kid-friendly way and learn what it looks like to help someone who’s hurt, left out, or having a hard day.
Why Is the Parable of the Good Samaritan Important for Kids?
The Good Samaritan is a story Jesus told about a man who gets hurt on the road. Two people pass by without helping, but a Samaritan stops, shows compassion, and takes care of him. Jesus uses this story to teach us what a good neighbor looks like: noticing someone in need and helping them even if they’re different from us.
Key Takeaways
- The Good Samaritan story teaches: a neighbor is someone you choose to love and help.
- Compassion isn’t just a feeling. Compassion is doing something to care for someone in need.
- The “right choice” is often the kind choice, even when you’re busy.
- You can be a Good Samaritan in small ways: helping, including, listening, and encouraging.
- Jesus wants us to “go and do likewise”, to be God’s love in real-life moments
Episode Summary
This episode tells the parable of the Good Samaritan with a wild-west twist. Complete with a donkey, an inn, and some silly outlaw troublemakers. A traveler (Jebediah Jones) gets robbed and hurt on a lonely road, and he’s left there hoping someone will help.
First, a priest comes along and crosses to the other side. Then a Levite hurries by and does the same. It’s one of those moments that makes kids go, “Wait… why didn’t they help?” That is exactly the point Jesus wants us to notice.
Finally, a Samaritan rides in and does what a real neighbor does: he stops, cares for the man’s wounds, helps him get to safety, and even pays for him to recover at an inn. The episode wraps by asking kids to think: Who was the true neighbor? And then it brings it home, kids can be the Good Samaritan when they notice someone who’s hurting, lonely, sad, or left out. It comes with a fun activity for the kids too!
Episode Highlights
Transcript
[00:00:08 --> 00:00:09] Howdy, y'all! Welcome to "Puppet Parables". Today, I want to make a puppet show of a story from the Bible that I just love. It's the story of the Good Samaritan. It's a story that Jesus told us, but we're going to add a little Western flare.
[00:00:09 --> 00:00:11] Hee-haw!
[00:00:11 --> 00:00:18] So grab your cowboy hat and your cowgirl boots. Grab a front row seat and let's get rootin'-tootin'.
[00:00:18 --> 00:00:20] Juice Box.
[00:00:20 --> 00:00:24] There once was a man named Jebediah Jones.
[00:00:24 --> 00:00:29] Howdy, partner!
[00:00:29 --> 00:00:32] He was making a long journey from Jerusalem to Jericho.
[00:00:32 --> 00:00:34] Sounds like a journey I knew before time.
[00:00:35 --> 00:00:39] He had walked for a really long time.
[00:00:39 --> 00:00:44] My dogs are barking. Hold it right there. I smell evil.
[00:00:44 --> 00:01:01] On his way, he encountered the meanest men in the Wild West, Silver Jim and the Rat Pack. They robbed him!
[00:01:01 --> 00:01:05] Hands in the air, sucker!
[00:01:09 --> 00:01:10] And beat him.
[00:01:10 --> 00:01:27] Get 'em, boys. And left him all by himself.
[00:01:27 --> 00:01:30] If anyone asks you, tell 'em it was Silver Jim and the Rat Pack. Come on boys, let's get outta here.
[00:01:30 --> 00:01:45] Poor guy! Jebediah laid there in pain, hoping someone would come along and help him. Finally, he saw someone coming.
[00:01:46 --> 00:01:48] Please, Mr. Priest. Remember me? We sang a song together at the Hootin' Annie last year!
[00:01:48 --> 00:01:49] I don't recall.
[00:01:49 --> 00:02:04] The priest went to the other side of the road and kept walking, staying far away from Jebediah. Jebediah kept lying there, dying!
[00:02:04 --> 00:02:08] Somebody, please help me!
[00:02:08 --> 00:02:11] He saw another person coming down the road, a Levite.
[00:02:11 --> 00:02:14] I'm late, I'm late, I'm late. I'm late. I'm late!
[00:02:14 --> 00:02:21] Hey there, buddy. I've seen you around. I think you live in my neighborhood. I could really use a helping hand.
[00:02:21 --> 00:02:24] I'm late!
[00:02:24 --> 00:02:30] He also went to the other side, staying far away from Jebediah.
[00:02:31 --> 00:02:33] I'm dead meat.
[00:02:34 --> 00:02:37] Finally, another man, a Samaritan, came down the road riding a donkey. This was bad news for Jebediah.
[00:02:37 --> 00:02:40] Stop right there, Donkey.
[00:02:40 --> 00:02:54] When the Samaritan saw the man, he stopped at once. He got off his donkey, he looked at Jebediah up and down.
[00:02:55 --> 00:03:00] I reckon, this is it for me. Goodbye, world.
[00:03:01 --> 00:03:05] The Samaritan looked at Jebediah intently. Then he ran to him and immediately had compassion on him.
[00:03:05 --> 00:03:09] What happened to you, pal?
[00:03:09 --> 00:03:21] Well, partner. It was all a blur. I was just moseying down this here road when some guys came up to me and well, next thing I knew, I was lying here on the ground, half fit for the grave.
[00:03:21 --> 00:03:30] If you tell me it was Silver Jim and the Rat Pack, I-
[00:03:30 --> 00:03:32] Yeah, yeah, that's, that's who it was. That's what he said his name was.
[00:03:32 --> 00:03:38] By golly, they won't get away with this! I'm going to the judge.
[00:03:38 --> 00:03:41] Before you see that judge, partner. I could sure use a hand here.
[00:03:41 --> 00:03:48] Oh yeah, that's right. That's right. Here. I've got just the thing for you, pal.
[00:03:50 --> 00:03:52] Oil and wine?
[00:03:52 --> 00:03:56] Yee-doggy, it's the best in town.
[00:03:56 --> 00:04:00] I say that sure is fancy treatment for a cowboy like me.
[00:04:00 --> 00:04:03] Nothing but the best for you, my friend.
[00:04:03 --> 00:04:05] The Samaritan poured oil and wine on Jebediah's wounds and bandaged him up.
[00:04:05 --> 00:04:13] Come with me, my friend. I'll get you some help. All aboard!
[00:04:13 --> 00:04:15] Well, I'll be rooting in tooting. A real life donkey just for me?
[00:04:15 --> 00:04:19] Enjoy the ride, partner.
[00:04:20 --> 00:04:23] The Samaritan walked Jebediah on his donkey all across town. They talked the whole way.
[00:04:23 --> 00:04:41] So I said to that guy, I says, that's no toaster. That's my horse. I done always thought that one was a knee slapper.
[00:04:42 --> 00:04:45] Late at night, they came to an inn.
[00:04:45 --> 00:04:47] Sure is late, partner. I'll catch a few winks with you here tonight and in the morning I'll settle up with the innkeeper.
[00:04:47 --> 00:04:49] Morning came.
[00:04:49 --> 00:04:52] Well that was fast.
[00:04:52 --> 00:04:59] The Samaritan found the innkeeper.
[00:04:59 --> 00:05:01] Why Howdy do, Miss Innkeeper.
[00:05:02 --> 00:05:03] Howdy do.
[00:05:04 --> 00:05:06] You see that man over there?
[00:05:06 --> 00:05:09] That one that looks real sorrow-like?
[00:05:11 --> 00:05:12] The very same.
[00:05:12 --> 00:05:14] Yeah, I see him.
[00:05:14 --> 00:05:19] Well he had a brush up with Silver Jim and the Rat Pack.
[00:05:20 --> 00:05:24] Silver Jim and the rat pack?
[00:05:24 --> 00:05:25] Shh. You hush, now. Not so loud. Now listen here. That man's name is Jebediah. You take good care of him so he gets all better. I don't want him paying a darn cent.
[00:05:25 --> 00:05:26] Well, somebody's gotta pay for him.
[00:05:26 --> 00:06:00] Slow down. I'm getting there. There's two bags of coins for you. Pure silver, I declare. Absolute pure silver. That should cover it. But, you know, pamper him a little bit. Make sure he feels real comfy, that. If he spends more, I'll be heading back this way next Tuesday and I'll pay you back then. Alright now, you have a good day, Miss Innkeeper. Well, Jebediah, I best be on my way.
[00:06:00 --> 00:06:02] You mean you ain't staying?
[00:06:02 --> 00:06:03] No, Jeb. I never was made for these here parts. You see, I've got a mosey down my own way and see what the open road holds for me.
[00:06:03 --> 00:06:06] Now you hold on one lousy second here. How can I ever repay you?
[00:06:06 --> 00:06:08] You've already repaid me, Jeb, by being my friend. I'm glad to know you.
[00:06:08 --> 00:06:12] The Samaritan climbed on his donkey and rode off into the sunset.
[00:06:12 --> 00:06:14] Keep on keeping on, partner.
[00:06:14 --> 00:07:26] Well, partner. Which one of these three men do you think treated Jebediah as a neighbor? The priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan? Yes indeedy, that Samaritan sure was nice to Jebediah, wasn't he? I reckon that's why Jesus told us this parable. He tells us to go and do likewise. Y'all, when you see a friend in need of a helping hand, even if they're different from you, you can be God's love to them right then and there. Even if they didn't get busted up by Silver Jim and the Rat Pack, maybe they're feeling sad or need a friend to talk to. You can be the good Samaritan to that person. Well, we'll be back in a jiffy with more puppet parables and fun videos. But in the meantime, have an adult subscribe to Juice Box to make sure you don't miss a rootin'-tootin' beat. Till next time, partner!
[00:07:27 --> 00:07:29] JuiceBox.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is the Good Samaritan in the Bible story?
The Good Samaritan is the man in Jesus’ story who stops to help a traveler who’s hurt. He shows compassion by taking action like bandaging wounds, getting the man to safety, and making sure he’s cared for. In the story, he’s the one who acts like a true neighbor.
What does it mean to be a good Samaritan for kids?
Being a good Samaritan means helping someone who needs it, especially when it would be easier to ignore them. For kids, that can look like including someone at recess, helping a sibling, checking on a friend who seems sad, or being kind to someone who feels different. It’s choosing love with your actions.
Why did Jesus tell the story of the Good Samaritan?
Jesus told this story to teach what real neighbor-love looks like. The point isn’t “Who counts as my neighbor?” It’s “Will I be a neighbor?” The Good Samaritan shows that kindness isn’t just for people who are exactly like us.
Why didn’t the priest and the Levite help?
In the story, they both choose to pass by on the other side of the road. Jesus doesn’t give a long explanation. He wants us to notice the contrast. Sometimes people are busy, distracted, or afraid, but the story teaches that love shows up when we stop and help anyway.
What’s a simple lesson from the Good Samaritan story?
A simple lesson is: When you see someone who needs help, don’t walk past, do something kind. It can be big (helping someone who’s hurt) or small (a friendly word, sharing, including). Either way, you’re learning to love as Jesus does.
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Free Good Samaritan Activity for Kids
Help your child retell the story of the Good Samaritan through coloring cutting and play
What's Inside:
Printable cowboy-themed Good Samaritan characters
Simple prompts to spark faith conversations
Designed for kids to retell the story in their own words
Perfect to use while watching the companion Juice Box video
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