Go and Do Likewise

The day was warm and nice as Prina exited the local mosque and walked across the street to the park. She took a deep breath of the fresh summer air and thought how thankful she was to be living in America.

As she entered the park and walked down the tree-lined path, she reached into her purse and pulled out her MP3 player. This had become one of her favorite pastimes since coming to the States. She loved taking long walks in the park and listening to her native music.

After placing the headphones in her ears, she sensed the presence of someone close behind her. But before she could turn around two men grabbed her purse, tore the headphones from her ears, and pushed her forcefully onto the concrete walking path.

Stunned by what happened, she laid motionless on the path. She could hear the faint sounds of children playing off in a distance, but she couldn’t move. Her head throbbed and she could feel blood trickling down her cheek. Was anyone around to see what happened? Would anyone stop to help, she thought?

There was a man dressed in a suit and tie, sitting at a picnic table. He noticed the young woman on the ground, but hesitated when he saw the native clothing she was wearing. With an aggravated look on his face, he started to walk over to her, but then was interrupted by a call on his cell phone. This was an important call, he thought. Surely someone else will help. And he hurried off with his briefcase in tow.

An elderly couple started to walk down the path and noticed her. But they feared this might be a racial issue of some sort and did not want to get involved. So they turned around as if they didn’t see anything.

Finally, a young mother with two preschool aged children saw Prina on the ground and gasped. She ran over to her, bent down, and told her that she was there to help. She explained that she had left her cell phone in her car, but if Prina felt she could walk, she would assist her to the car.

Prina sighed and slowly stood up. By this time she was bleeding from a deep cut on her forehead. The mother pulled out some tissue from her bag and told Prina to hold it tightly to her head. If it wasn’t for the strong, steady arm of this woman, Prina knew she couldn’t have walked on her own.

The mother motioned to her children to follow closely as she guided Prina to the car and called for help. Within minutes emergency vehicles were on the scene.

Prina gave a statement to the police officer, while paramedics tended to her wounds. With her hand clutching the stranger who had stopped to help, Prina began to cry and thank the woman for all she had done.

Though this story is fictional, it is one that could play out in any U.S. city today. I am not trying to draw any conclusions politically or otherwise, I simply want to share a new thought on an age old story.

After reading the account of The Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37, I think I am gaining a better understanding of goodness—our “fruit” for this month. I believe that goodness is more of an action than a state of being. The woman in the story above, like the Samaritan in the Bible, illustrates that we are to show goodness to everyone, no matter their race, religion, or social status. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27b

The young mother was able to set aside any issues she may have had with the stranger in need, but the business man and the elderly couple couldn’t put aside their convictions to even help. It saddens me deeply to know there are people in our world who have hardened their hearts to the point of not being able to show goodness to others who so desperately need it.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3

As the Good Samaritan story concludes, Jesus asks those whom He is teaching, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The Pharisee (expert in the law) replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10: 36-37

Imagine how different things could be in this world if we would go and do like the Good Samaritan?

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2Chronicles 7:14