Many are familiar with the parable of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10:25-37. The theme of this story illustrates that compassion should be for all people. Everyone, no matter who they are, or what their circumstance, is our neighbor.
This story goes hand in hand with the Scripture in Mark 12:28-31: One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (NIV).
From these two examples set forth by Jesus, it is obvious that we as Christians should love our neighbor. We are now about 2000 years removed from the way of life in Jesus’ day. In the 21st Century (at least in the United States), I find some roadblocks that hinder the process of helping out our neighbor.
For one thing, people in the U.S. tend to be very selfish and very willing to file a lawsuit over any circumstance that doesn’t meet their approval. So, if by helping someone, you put yourself into a risky situation, then you might be opening yourself up to false accusations or a lawsuit.
One illustration of helping out a neighbor involves hitchhiking. In my younger years I worked in a remote place in Oregon and had no transportation. A few times I hitchhiked to work (although a company bus was available for that purpose). And I also ended up hitchhiking to church on Sunday nights about 30 miles away, during that period. One member of the church said that if I would hitchhike to church, that he would bring me back (which was extremely kind of him). So in that case, I had a perfect stranger each time willing to give me a ride, and then another kind soul who would bring me back to my house, when it was getting close to dark. Both would fit the bill for being a Good Samaritan.
In the years that followed, I felt the need to reciprocate these kindnesses, and so I picked up a hitchhiker from time to time (always praying for wisdom and direction from God before doing so). I had some interesting experiences, and God kept me safe. But I remember one hitchhiker told me I should not pick up hitchhikers in a certain area (the same area I picked him up at) because there might be escaped convicts looking for rides, and that could be dangerous. Yes, hitchhiking can be dangerous, both for the hitchhiker and for the one offering the ride.
Once a couple years ago I saw a woman, lying on the ground in a rainstorm, and she looked like she was in pain. I stopped and asked her what she needed. She said her hip was messed up and she couldn’t walk the rest of the way home. He apartment was only about two blocks away, so I offered her a ride. She agreed, but later my wife said that might not have been good, because the lady could have accused me falsely of things, and it would have been my word against hers.
Not long ago I was attending a funeral of a friend. A seniors choir sang at the funeral. Afterwards one of the women from the choir got left behind (the bus left without her). I saw her need, offered her a ride to where she needed to go, and she very much appreciated the ride. I know that my deceased friend would have been pleased, for he was a shining example of an encourager and one who would have been a Good Samaritan in every way possible.
Now that I am married, for the most part, I no longer give rides to strangers. I have my family to consider in case something bad should happen. Also in most places in the U.S. now it is against the law to pick up hitchhikers.
So I look for other ways to help my neighbor.
There have been times that I have had car trouble and been alone on the edge of a highway. One man stopped at 11:00 p.m. one night in a remote place in Colorado to help me change a flat tire, and then he helped me get to the next town, which was about 50 miles away. I thank the Lord for that Good Samaritan. And a few others have helped me with similar car situations over the years. Although I am not mechanically adept, I have done my share of offering to help when someone was stranded or helping to “jump” someone with a dead car battery.
Once a person wanted me to meet him at a certain spot, where his car was supposed to be, and see if I would jump the car. Wisdom said to not go there alone, so I took someone with me. That person was not there when we arrived, and apparently the story was intended as a way to get me in a place alone where the person could steal or do other misdeeds. Fortunately I was spared from any harm.
One man I knew was very willing to help people stalled on the road who had car trouble. He had a heart of gold. But, unfortunately, one time he tried to help someone, and they had evil plans. He was murdered while trying to help out a stranger. And he had a wife and young kids left to mourn his death and continue in life alone.
A few times people have stopped me and asked for money for food. My solution is to go with them to an eating establishment, and buy them the food. One gentleman was very appreciative, and I felt like he really was sincere and needed assistance.
Recently a lady stopped me and said her car was running on fumes and needed gas. Not willing to help a cigarette, drinking, or drug habit (if that was the case), I followed her to the gas station and proceeded to fill up her car. Once I got to the $50.00 mark I had to quit. I do not have unlimited resources. If the woman needed more, surely God would have some other way besides me to help out. I prayed with her and encouraged her to attend church. She tried to get me to buy her some food at the convenience store (not the cheapest place to buy food), but I declined. I felt I had done my part. There are church groups, soup kitchens, and government assistance places that can help out in many situations such as hers.
In helping others, I think there has to be a limit. We shouldn’t help others to the extent that it might deplete our own resources (for ourselves and for our own families). The Scripture says to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” It doesn’t say to love your neighbor “more than yourself.”
If someone else should cross my path this week, I’d be willing to pray with them and to help them if possible, but my financial assistance to others this week has reached its limit. I can steer someone to a church or street mission or the Salvation Army should they need assistance of a monetary type.
Recently, a local church in Springfield, Missouri, offered gasoline to patrons at the low price of $2.42. This was more than a dollar lower than the current cost of gasoline. The amount was decided on because Acts 2:42 says “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
This is a Scripture that gives the reason for the church reaching out to needy people in the community. They were following the Lord’s commandment to “love your neighbor” and following the teaching of the apostles. And I think this is a word to encourage others to do the same—to love God and follow His commandments. This was a good witness to people to encourage them to seek more of God.
The cars were lined up for several hours, and the church continued until everyone was served. The church paid the extra approximately $1.30 per gallon of gas pumped, so that the station owner was properly paid. The church spent almost $5,000 fueling 400-500 cars. People were appreciative, and this was one way to be a Good Samaritan to people in the community. This was under a collective basis, coordinated through a church, instead of on an individual basis.
This same church has given away tens of thousands of dollars in school supplies, frozen turkeys at Thanksgiving, clothing, shoes, bicycles at Christmas, food, and general services. Each year for several years they have done a school makeover where up to 350 volunteers from the church paint, landscape, clean, scrub and repair a public school. They have also done home makeovers and have given away several cars and Christmas shopping sprees to families in need. In addition to this, we have provided more than 75 local classrooms with their annual budgets for teachers, etc.
Other group efforts to help others can include canned good drives which most communities and many churches facilitate to help the needy. Groups like the March of Dimes and other charities have fundraisers to help out with medical needs. This is an anonymous sort of way (but still good) to help others in need. The Habitat For Humanity is another way to volunteer time to help strangers in need. In one local situation, friends of a family, as well as church members all pitched in to help a family I know to get a new home built through Habitat For Humanity. Other ways to help can be offering services as a foster parents or by volunteering at places like a soup kitchen, food harvest, the Red Cross, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, or a crisis pregnancy center. There are any number of help agencies, such as those sponsored by the United Way, which would be glad to have donations of time or money.
Another way that I like to help people is by giving blood. The American Red Cross (and locally we have the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks) takes blood donations to assist those in hospitals who are needing blood transfusions. Without the blood donations many would die. This is a very worthy cause.
Helping our neighbor does not always mean helping a total stranger. James 1:27 says: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (KJV).
As a youngster, I used to go with my dad to help out a couple of widows in our church (but the same types of things could be done for a neighbor or stranger) who needed home repair jobs done. Another family I recently met has only one car. The husband works odd hours, and the wife babysits for long hours. I have done a few errands for them during the daylight hours which they could not seem to get done otherwise. Sometimes even the smallest thing you can do will be a blessing to someone—an encouraging word, praying with someone, or being available should a need arise.
There are always people in need. Even Jesus said “For ye have the poor always with you” (Matthew 26:11). One person cannot help all the poor and needy, but each one of us can help someone. Just look around you and see how you can help those less fortunate or those with a specific need. You can pray, you can help financially, and you can help through working or assisting. But, sad to say, in the modern-day world—and possibly more than in any other time in history—one must be careful and use godly wisdom when helping strangers who might have unpure motives.
See also:
The Parable of the Good Samaritan:
http://www.jesuswalk.com/lessons/10_25-37.htm/
The Salvation Army:
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/
The American Red Cross:
http://www.redcross.org/
Community Blood Center of the Ozarks:
http://www.cbco.org/
March of Dimes:
http://www.marchofdimes.com/
Habitat For Humanity:
http://www.habitat.org/
Pregnancy Care Centers:
http://www.covenantnews.com/pregnant/
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America:
http://www.bbbs.org/
United Way of America:
http://www.liveunited.org/about/
Church helps hundreds fill their gas tanks: Volunteers go past deadline rather than turn people away
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