Yesterday I passed
by the spot on Highway 17 where my car slid off in the ditch when I first got
my driver's license. (Ya I hear you saying that was a long, long time ago—Cut
that out!) The road was snow and ice covered
and I hadn't yet learned how much that affected stopping distance. My brother came by so I asked if he was going
to get me out. He went and got a tractor
and pulled me out. I was grateful for
the help. I've stopped and helped many
others over the years since then. Some
I knew but many I didn't. But it was
easy to see they all needed help—and all were grateful (some for fuel,
batteries, jump-starts, spare tire put on, tow from ditch, or whatever).
My fear is this
“that we might be more willing to help a motorist with a problem than we are to
help people with problems.” Why is
that? People have breakdowns in their
lives also (some involve marital difficulties, health issues, loneliness,
financial stress, career problems, spiritual conditions, or whatever). Why are many less willing to help with those
problems? Most car problems are
temporary where many “people problems” have eternal significance.
In Luke 10 and the
story of the Good Samaritan, the religious leaders didn't want to get involved
and passed by on the other side (v.31-32).
But the Samaritan saw the one who had been beaten up and felt compassion
on him and cared for him (v. 33-34). Jesus
asked the question “Which of these do you think proved to be a neighbor to the
man who fell into the robbers' hands?” The man replied “the one who showed
mercy toward him” (v.36). Jesus said to
him “Go and do the same” (v.37). So, do
you hear him? Are you going to
Help?
—Alan
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