The Good Samaritan

So here it is Sunday. Sunday is go-to-Church-day. And so I feel like I should offer a more spiritual note for this evening...

I've been thinking a lot about a VERY disturbing story I read this last week. It was about the man who was stabbed and died in the streets of New York City, as he was trying to rescue a woman who was being attacked. He stepped in and was stabbed. He fell to the sidewalk and was bleeding. The most disturbing thing about this, is that 20+ people walked past him and none, NOT ONE, stopped to help him. One man lifted his head up and saw blood and then dropped his head back down and continued on his way. Someone else stopped only to take pictures with their cell phone. It was an hour and twenty minutes before help arrived, and by that time it was too late.

I cannot begin to say how this just tore my heart up. How could one person, let alone 20 people, walk on past this dying man and do nothing to help?! I don't understand.

I've thought about this story every day since I read it. And as I've thought about it, I began to make a 'spiritual application.' I thought about all of the people we know in our lives, that are struggling. That are spiritual dying. Do we notice? Do we stop and help? Or do we just walk on by? There are so many people that we come in contact with on a daily basis that are in need of us. Of our friendship, or our love, or our faith. Do we offer these things to them?

There is the story of the Good Samaritan, that so many of us are familiar with. The man stopped to help. He saw the need before him, and he acted. It was a total stranger he was helping, but he freely gave of himself, his time, his compassion, and he even gave monetarily to make sure the man in need was properly taken care of after he left. How amazing. How many of us would, or do, the same thing?

I also think of Jesus when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane. As He was about to be arrested and the little scuffle ensued, and Peter cut off Malcus' ear. Amidst the commotion of it all, Jesus noticed that there was a need for His healing. He quietly and unassumingly restored the ear. He was aware and noticed a need, and acted... So I am committing to being more aware. More aware of the people around me and their needs. More aware of the countless opportunities I have each and every day to help someone in need. I pray I don't ever just walk on past another who needs my help...