Day four was a day of missed opportunities. It was a hectic day at work, and I did a lot of driving from one job to the next. Several broken down cars, and I blew past every one. I always seemed to be in the wrong lane or going too fast to stop. I really was joking when I said that this was going to be the first roadside assistance ministry, but now I'm beginning to think it might be true.
As I was driving, I was listening to a teaching by Dr. R.C. Sproul. Dr. Sproul, in my opinion, is the coolest Theologian I have ever heard. (I just realized that I might be the first writer to ever use the words "cool" and "Theologian" in the same descriptive term.) Dr. Sproul's knowledge of the scriptures, as well as his knowledge of church history, along with his practical understanding of how God works in our lives, makes him one of my favorites.
Dr. Sproul was teaching on Luke 10:25, the "Good Samaritan" parable that Jesus told His followers. You know the story... A guy is beaten, robbed, and left for dead. He is lying in a ditch to the side of the road. The first person to come along was the Jewish Priest. He walked to the other side of the road and passed without stopping. Likewise, a Levite did the same. At last the Samaritan stopped and cared for the injured man. He went above and beyond what would be expected, especially since the Samaritans were the enemies of the Jews.
In listening to Dr. Sproul, I realized that these three characters are no different than people today. The first two just, flat, didn't want to help. They didn't want to get involved. They used their religious laws, and their positions, as their excuse for not helping. And, Jesus audience was undoubtedly nodding in agreement. They held these two men in such high regard that they would have thought it absurd if Jesus would have said that they did stop to help.
I told a guy I know about the young lady that I helped with her flat tire. His first question was, "Did you get her phone number?" I said, "Of course not." So he asked, "Then why did you stop to help her?" I said, "Because she needed help." He said, "You're nuts!"
I can only imagine that the Samaritan in Jesus' parable got the same response from the innkeeper. I'm sure the innkeeper said, "You're nuts!" when the Samaritan told him that not only would he pay the man's stay up front, but make up any extra charges when he passed through again.
Maybe we are nuts. This parable was told in response to a Jewish lawyer asking Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" Christ finished the parable by asking the question, "Which one of these three was the man's neighbor?" "The one who showed compassion", the lawyer said. Jesus said, "Then go and do the same."
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
The Purpose of this Blog
To challenge others to step out of their comfort zone and show the world the love of Jesus Christ through random acts of kindness.
Jesus teaches about salt and light
"You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world - like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." (Matthew 5:13-16 NLT)
How it all started
It was a cold December morning in Chicago. Air temperature 18 degrees. Wind chill zero degrees. I was travelling North on IL 53 just South of Palatine Rd. It was 9:30am.
I was in the left lane as I made the slow curve around Arlington Race Course when I saw a car pulled off on the right shoulder, hazard lights flashing, the left rear tire was flat. As I blew past I noticed exhaust from the tailpipe - the engine was running - and the silhouette of a woman in the drivers seat. There was no way that I could get over three lanes to stop and help, so I continued on.
This is nothing new - it happens every day. I see people broken down everywhere I go. I tried to make myself feel better by reasoning that she has already called someone, and that help is surely on its way. But the Spirit wouldn't let me go, not this time. The weight on my heart was too much to ignore.
I had heard a message not too long before this, and in the message was a quote from Dr. Edward Everett Hale which said,
"I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything; but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."
I am an industrial equipment mechanic by trade. Although I don't do a lot of automotive repairs, I am fully capable of changing a flat tire. I can do this. So, why am I refusing, in my mind, to help this person in need? I decided in that moment to change my course and do the one thing that I can do.
I managed to get over and take the next off-ramp. I took a few back roads and made my way back to the highway. It was 15 minutes before I saw the car again, hazards still flashing. I pulled in behind the car, threw on my insulated cover-alls, and approached the driver.
I startled her when I knocked on her window. She wasn't expecting anyone. She was talking to her mother on her cell phone, and she was crying.
She had been sitting there for two-and-a-half hours, and no one had stopped. She had called for roadside assistance and was promised a tow truck by 12:00 noon - another two hours from now.
It was wicked cold outside, so I told her to stay in the car while I put on her spare. I don't think that I ever changed a tire as fast as I did that day.
She was ready to go in no time. She thanked me and then handed me her phone. Her mom was still on the line. Her mom couldn't believe that there was still someone in the world that would stop and help, purely as a random act of kindness. I told her that I had to stop, because I could.
Jesus said that we are to be the salt of the earth, and the light of the world. Salt brings out the best flavor in everything that it touches, and at the same time, acts as a preservative to keep things from spoiling. Light takes away the darkness. We turn on a light so that we can see. And, in the same way, these random acts of kindness should shine out for all to see, so that everyone will give praise to our Heavenly Father.
How many people drove past that young woman? Three lanes of highway traveling at 55 miles an hour for two-and-a-half hours - it was tens of thousands. How many were Christians? How many, just like me, convinced themselves that there wasn't anything that they could do, or that help was on its way? I'm not saying that there is something that we can do in every situation, but if we can do something, than we should do something.
Since this incident back in December 2009, I have made it a point to be more aware of my surroundings, of people in need, of lives that I can touch and give glory to our Heavenly Father.
My challenge to you is to do the same. As Dr. Hale said, I can't do everything, but I can do something. And, I will not refuse to do something that I can do." So, find something that you can do and do it. It may be just a smile and a hello, or an offer to help carry a package. We are so pre-programmed to ignore and avoid getting involved that just simply acknowledging a person is all that they are looking for. Whatever it may be, just one simple act of kindness, might be the first of a thousand steps that will lead a person to Christ. Let Christ's light shine through your action and see what happens from there. And just as easily as it may be the first step, it might also be the last... and, a soul is saved.
If you do touch a life in some way, please let me know.
I was in the left lane as I made the slow curve around Arlington Race Course when I saw a car pulled off on the right shoulder, hazard lights flashing, the left rear tire was flat. As I blew past I noticed exhaust from the tailpipe - the engine was running - and the silhouette of a woman in the drivers seat. There was no way that I could get over three lanes to stop and help, so I continued on.
This is nothing new - it happens every day. I see people broken down everywhere I go. I tried to make myself feel better by reasoning that she has already called someone, and that help is surely on its way. But the Spirit wouldn't let me go, not this time. The weight on my heart was too much to ignore.
I had heard a message not too long before this, and in the message was a quote from Dr. Edward Everett Hale which said,
"I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything; but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."
I am an industrial equipment mechanic by trade. Although I don't do a lot of automotive repairs, I am fully capable of changing a flat tire. I can do this. So, why am I refusing, in my mind, to help this person in need? I decided in that moment to change my course and do the one thing that I can do.
I managed to get over and take the next off-ramp. I took a few back roads and made my way back to the highway. It was 15 minutes before I saw the car again, hazards still flashing. I pulled in behind the car, threw on my insulated cover-alls, and approached the driver.
I startled her when I knocked on her window. She wasn't expecting anyone. She was talking to her mother on her cell phone, and she was crying.
She had been sitting there for two-and-a-half hours, and no one had stopped. She had called for roadside assistance and was promised a tow truck by 12:00 noon - another two hours from now.
It was wicked cold outside, so I told her to stay in the car while I put on her spare. I don't think that I ever changed a tire as fast as I did that day.
She was ready to go in no time. She thanked me and then handed me her phone. Her mom was still on the line. Her mom couldn't believe that there was still someone in the world that would stop and help, purely as a random act of kindness. I told her that I had to stop, because I could.
Jesus said that we are to be the salt of the earth, and the light of the world. Salt brings out the best flavor in everything that it touches, and at the same time, acts as a preservative to keep things from spoiling. Light takes away the darkness. We turn on a light so that we can see. And, in the same way, these random acts of kindness should shine out for all to see, so that everyone will give praise to our Heavenly Father.
How many people drove past that young woman? Three lanes of highway traveling at 55 miles an hour for two-and-a-half hours - it was tens of thousands. How many were Christians? How many, just like me, convinced themselves that there wasn't anything that they could do, or that help was on its way? I'm not saying that there is something that we can do in every situation, but if we can do something, than we should do something.
Since this incident back in December 2009, I have made it a point to be more aware of my surroundings, of people in need, of lives that I can touch and give glory to our Heavenly Father.
My challenge to you is to do the same. As Dr. Hale said, I can't do everything, but I can do something. And, I will not refuse to do something that I can do." So, find something that you can do and do it. It may be just a smile and a hello, or an offer to help carry a package. We are so pre-programmed to ignore and avoid getting involved that just simply acknowledging a person is all that they are looking for. Whatever it may be, just one simple act of kindness, might be the first of a thousand steps that will lead a person to Christ. Let Christ's light shine through your action and see what happens from there. And just as easily as it may be the first step, it might also be the last... and, a soul is saved.
If you do touch a life in some way, please let me know.
No comments:
Post a Comment