Go And Do Likewise
By Gary Toh, Director of Prayer Ministry
A couple of years back, I was strolling down Chinatown when I heard someone crying for help. I quickly rushed over to the crowd and saw a man was lying on the ground. He was crying and muttering that he needed to go to the hospital. He looked like he was in anguish and pain.
I took out my phone and dialed 911. After some assessment from the call center, they determined that it was not an emergency and asked me to call for a non-emergency ambulance to the scene.
While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, I tried talking to the man to calm him down. After a while, the crowd dissipated, and we found a place for the man to sit.
I found out that he was homeless and had strained relationships with his family. He came to a point that he just wanted to go to the hospital to die. I started to encourage him and prayed for him.
At this time, two hours had passed and still no sign of the ambulance. He decided he did not need to go to the hospital and wanted to leave. Before he left, I noticed that his slippers were broken. Not thinking too much, I offered him mine. He gratefully accepted and left wearing my slippers. Thank God we live in Hawaii where it is totally normal to be walking around barefoot. I walked back to my car and went home.
In Luke chapter 10 someone had asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus proceeded to tell the story of the good Samaritan. A man was left for dead after being beaten and robbed of his belongings. Two religious leaders saw him and ignored him. But a Samaritan came by and helped the man. He went way beyond to help the man.
The Jewish people at that time despised the Samaritan people. Jesus used him as an example to remind people a good neighbor is someone who does good for strangers no matter their background.
In these modern times being a good neighbor means sometimes we may have to help strangers. People who may be different from us. From young, we have always been taught about “stranger danger.” Yes, there’s wisdom in that, but Jesus clearly asked us to do otherwise. He is not asking us to put our well-being at risk, but He is asking us to be kind and generous to people we meet.
Prayer: Lord, please open our eyes to see people who are in need around us. Help us to be kind and generous to them. Amen.
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