Several bishops voted in the Lords last night to oppose the government’s welfare reform proposals. Here’s a story Jesus might have told, if he were sitting on the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral this morning.

A man was walking through the East End one evening when he was attacked by robbers who stole his wallet, his iPhone and his watch, leaving him bleeding and dazed in the gutter.

An MP on the way back to his London apartment after a late night debate saw him, and said to himself “Why hasn’t an ambulance got to him yet? I must raise this in the House”.

A local community leader saw the man and thought “Typical of the police round here, they only care about harassing young people and don’t do anything to prevent crime”.

A bishop walking past saw the man and said “This is symptomatic of a society which only cares about greed.”

A banker, on his way back home after a black tie reception at Mansion House, saw the man and stopped for a closer look. Seeing how badly he had been treated, the banker helped the man to his feet and put him in the back of his Audi. The banker drove the man to a local hotel, paid for a room and bought him some fresh clothes. Before going home, the banker left the man his card, saying “If you need anything else in the morning, give me a call”.

Which of these was a neighbour to the man who was robbed?

And if you’re thinking “That’s completely implausible, the people described in that story would never behave like that in real life – especially the banker”, well, that’s precisely the point.

Oh, and while we’re on a theological note, here’s an interesting comment from St Paul.