Being a good neighbor

Who is my neighbor? (Luke 10:29)

One rainy day, a man went into the city on some errands. On his way home, he saw a car pulled over on the shoulder, emergency lights flashing. A woman stood by the door, soaked to the skin. The man pulled over and got out. As he did so, two men ran out from behind the car and jumped him. The three criminals beat the man, took his wallet and stole his car, leaving him unconscious and bleeding at the side of the road.

Soon another car came along. The driver was a minister; when he noticed the man lying on the shoulder he slowed down to get a better look. Just then his cell phone rang; seeing headlights in his rearview mirror, the minister took the call and drove on, figuring that the next driver would stop and see what was going on.

The driver in the next car was a social worker. She had had a long and challenging day; exhausted and irritable, all she wanted was to get home and make her kids dinner. When she saw the man lying by the ditch, she started to slow down. But after a moment’s thought, she sped up and drove by—she didn’t have the energy to get involved, her kids were waiting for her, and she was a little worried for her safety. She was sure that someone else would stop and offer to help.

A little later, another set of headlights appeared. This car slowed, then came to a stop. A man stepped out into the rain and knelt by the bleeding victim. Finding a pulse, he tore some strips of cloth from his shirt for a makeshift bandage. He helped the injured man into his car, even though blood dripped on the front seat. He drove to the first farm place that he saw and took the man inside. 911 was called, and the helpful stranger did not leave until he had given his statement to the sheriff and the ambulance was on its way to a hospital.

Who was this man who had taken the time to help? The kind stranger was an illegal alien originally from Mexico. He ruined his clothes, got bloodstains on his upholstery and risked being identified by the law, all for the sake of a man he didn’t know. The illegal alien showed compassion to a total stranger, even when it was not convenient. Our Lord Jesus tells us, Go and do likewise (Luke 10:37).