Who is my Neighbor?

From my dining room window, I heard the sirens and saw the emergency vehicles race to the intersection near my house.  This was about two weeks ago.

I was running late that morning.  Typically, I would have been at the intersection at that exact time.  And, on a typical morning, so would one of my neighbor, "Cliff", who walks his dog every morning.

There is no crosswalk at this intersection.  When the timing is perfect, as it is most mornings, I would trip the light so that Cliff can cross on a green.  But, I wasn't there that morning.

The police officers were racing to gain control of the traffic.  The paramedics were working feverishly to save the person lying in the middle of the intersection, while the firefighters were darting back and forth to the ambulance, bringing the tools and equipment.

I was in my truck and around the corner in a matter of seconds.  To my relief, Cliff and Smoky were standing off to the side.  They had witnessed the accident.

It was a young man who was riding a motorcycle that, somehow, struck a semi-trailer.  Unfortunately, the young man was pronounced dead at the scene.

I felt guilty.  I was overjoyed that it wasn't my neighbor, but I began to feel terrible knowing that this was someones son, or brother, or husband, or father.  He didn't live on my street, but he lived on someones street.

In Luke chapter 10, an expert in Jewish religious law came to test Jesus by asking Him, "What must I do to receive eternal life?"  Jesus asked, "What does the Law & Moses say?"  The lawyer responded, "You must love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength - and love your neighbor as yourself."  Jesus said, "You are right - do this and you will live."  But, the lawyer needed clarification (as they always do), so he asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" 

Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan.  A Jewish man was traveling when he was attacked by bandits.  He was stripped of his clothes and money, beaten and left for dead.  First a Jewish priest came by, but because of his social status, and rules of ceremonial law, he refused to help.  The text says that he crossed to the opposite side of the street to pass by.  Next came a Jewish temple assistant.  He stopped and looked at the guy, but offered no assistance.  Maybe he didn't want to get involved.  Maybe he didn't know what to do, or where to start.  He sounds a lot like us.  Last came a Samaritan. 

Now, you need to understand that there was a multi-century old hatred between the Jews and the Samaritans.  A Jew would be ceremonially "unclean" if he even rubbed the garment of a Samaritan.  But, in Jesus story, the Samaritan was the one who helped the Jewish guy. 

In the end, Jesus asked the lawyer, "Which one of the three was this man's neighbor?"  Obviously it was the Samaritan, but the lawyer couldn't even get himself to say it.  He answered Jesus, "The one who showed him mercy."  Jesus said, "Now you go and do the same."

Are we prepared to "go and do the same"?  Are we prepared to help someone that we would normally, never even acknowledge?  That's what Jesus has asked us to do.  And, actually, in the original Greek text, the word "go" is in the imperative sense, meaning it is a command - not a suggestion.

More and more flowers keep showing up at the intersection.  This man was loved.  I pray for his family as they go through this time of grief.  We don't know them, but they are also our neighbors.

Creative Giving

My wife and I were enjoying a beautiful Saturday morning, on the outside patio of Graham's 318 coffee shop, in Geneva, IL.  Kathie was sipping her drink.  I had gotten up to go inside when a man showed up with dozens of bouquets of flowers, which he started handing out to all of the ladies.

He explained that they were "day-old" flowers and where to be thrown away.  So, he gathered them up, placed them in the trunk of his car and went around handing them out to anyone who would accept them.  He felt that nothing brightens up a woman's day like a bouquet of flowers.

When he was asked why he was doing it, he simply said that it was a random act of kindness.

He had already gone when I came out of the store.  I wish I could have met him.  Maybe we will see him again.  What an awesome idea. 

By the way, the bunches of flowers had Trader Joe's stickers on them.  I understand that Trader Joe's is very generous this way... Just in case you might want to do this yourself.

God bless you.

Back again...

I decided to restart the blog that I had set aside... I can't believe it has been two-and-a-half years now.  Though I haven't written in a while, I have still continued to help those in need, in any way that I can. 

The purpose of the blog is to encourage and challenge all of you to step out of your comfort zone and do something for another person.  We are so conditioned to mind our own business and avoid any kind of involvement, that people in need are often ignored.

What is it that makes us look the other way and ignore a person in need?  The most popular answer that I've received is that the person in need wouldn't accept our help anyway, thus creating an awkward situation.  It would be embarrassing - both for the person in need as well as the person offering help. 

Sometimes, we feel like there is nothing that we can do.  We're not mechanics, or rescue professionals, or policemen.  What help can we possibly be?

But, it's not about all of that.  One thing that I have discovered in the past few years of consciously being aware of other people in need, is that most of the time, you don't need to do anything - you just need to be there. 

Years ago, I came across a woman and her daughter that were broken down on a stretch of road that wasn't very well traveled.  They had called AAA, and were promised a tow truck within the hour.  There wasn't anything that I could do for the vehicle, but still, I was concerned about the two of them being stranded alone.  It was late afternoon and the sun was starting to set.  It didn't seem right for me to just drive away, leaving them behind.

I asked if they would like me to stay with them until the tow truck arrived.  Putting myself in their position, I was the proverbial "creepy guy" that comes along when you break down on a deserted road.  They had no idea who I was, and I'm sure they felt very uncomfortable.  Talk about an awkward moment. 

The woman didn't know what to say.  Later, she told me that she didn't want to be out there alone, and was happy that I suggested that I stay, but in my own vehicle, until the tow truck arrives. 

When I first arrived, I had told her that I was a mechanic.  When the tow truck was ready to leave, she handed me her husband's business card.  Her husband owned a machine shop.  On the back, she had written, "This is the guy that stopped to help Nan and me."  She said that if I ever needed any machine work, I should call him.  Her husband and I became good friends.

It was terribly awkward.  She rejected my offer to help.  But still, I did what I thought was the right thing to do.  It wasn't a big deal.  All I did was sit there for about forty-five minutes.  If it was my wife and daughter, I would hope a guy like me would come along.

Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and offer some help.  It might be awkward, and you might be rejected.  But then, you might just have the chance to show Christ's love through a simple, random act of kindness.