For centuries, preachers have used Jesus乌鸦传媒� parable of the Good Samaritan to suggest:
- We should not despise or disparage other races or religions because it was an 乌鸦传媒渙utsider乌鸦传媒� who rendered help.
- We should emulate that 乌鸦传媒渙utsider乌鸦传媒� and offer help to the victims of today乌鸦传媒檚 world 乌鸦传媒� the poor, the disadvantaged, the unemployed, the widows and orphans乌鸦传媒�
Both options assume that we 乌鸦传媒� whoever or whatever 乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒� are 乌鸦传媒� have power. 乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒� have resources. 乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒� have money. 乌鸦传媒淭hey乌鸦传媒� don乌鸦传媒檛.
Diana Butler-Bass admitted she thought of herself as one of the fortunate ones who help others. Then she tripped on a crosswalk. On her Sub-Stack page, she wrote, 乌鸦传媒淚 landed spread-eagle in the crosswalk. My purse flew one direction, my glasses another. Dazed, I saw that the crosswalk signal was about to change. I couldn乌鸦传媒檛 get out of the road before the light turned green. I started to cry, searched for my glasses, and hoped for help.
乌鸦传媒淎 car stopped, and a woman opened the driver乌鸦传媒檚 door. I felt relieved 乌鸦传媒� someone was going to assist me. Instead of helping, however, she began to yell at me: 乌鸦传媒榃hat乌鸦传媒檚 wrong with you? Get up! You乌鸦传媒檙e blocking traffic!乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淲hen I didn乌鸦传媒檛 answer, she shouted, 乌鸦传媒楢re you deaf?乌鸦传媒� and she leaned on her car horn. I crawled across the street to the corner. 乌鸦传媒業diot!乌鸦传媒� she shouted as she drove away.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淥ccasionally,乌鸦传媒� Butler-Bass concluded, 乌鸦传媒測ou get to be the Samaritan. But sometimes you乌鸦传媒檙e in the ditch.乌鸦传媒�
Christine preached about the Good Samaritan that same Sunday in her home congregation in Placerville, CA. Then she invited members of the congregation to tell their stories of Good Samaritan experiences.
They lined up in the aisle to share their stories. They were so eager, Christine eventually had to cut the procession off.
A few factors leapt out at me.
The first thing that struck me was roles. Very few portrayed themselves as the Good Samaritan. Mostly, they saw themselves, like Diana Butler-Bass, as the victim. Unlike her, though, they did receive help from strangers.
The second thing that struck me was how many of the stories involved cars. (Perhaps that focus was influenced by the original tale taking place on a road.) Over and over, the story tellers began, 乌鸦传媒淚 skidded on the road 乌鸦传媒ξ谘淮綕 乌鸦传媒淚 had an accident乌鸦传媒ξ谘淮綕 乌鸦传媒淢y car broke down乌鸦传媒ξ谘淮綕 乌鸦传媒淚 ran out of gas乌鸦传媒ξ谘淮綕 And a total stranger provided a can of gas, a blanket, a tow rope乌鸦传媒�.
It had not dawned on me 乌鸦传媒� despite being a 乌鸦传媒渃ar guy乌鸦传媒� since my teenage years 乌鸦传媒� the extent to which cars have become part of our culture. It乌鸦传媒檚 as if cars have become a second skin that we live in. Or that are almost human characters in our lives.
The most significant exception to these stories came from a man who said he carried $20 bills in his pocket to hand out to people in need.
On this day he encountered a veteran holding a sign asking for help. He handed over the $20. Then sat down beside the veteran and said, 乌鸦传媒淭ell me your story.乌鸦传媒�
It seemed to Christine that his act of intentional listening 乌鸦传媒� like getting down in the ditch with the victim -- might have provided more healing than any financial donation could.
