For centuries, preachers have used Jesus鈥� parable of the Good Samaritan to suggest:
- We should not despise or disparage other races or religions because it was an 鈥渙utsider鈥� who rendered help.
- We should emulate that 鈥渙utsider鈥� and offer help to the victims of today鈥檚 world 鈥� the poor, the disadvantaged, the unemployed, the widows and orphans鈥�
Both options assume that we 鈥� whoever or whatever 鈥淲e鈥� are 鈥� have power. 鈥淲e鈥� have resources. 鈥淲e鈥� have money. 鈥淭hey鈥� don鈥檛.
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, 鈥淚 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鈥檛 get out of the road before the light turned green. I started to cry, searched for my glasses, and hoped for help.
鈥淎 car stopped, and a woman opened the driver鈥檚 door. I felt relieved 鈥� someone was going to assist me. Instead of helping, however, she began to yell at me: 鈥榃hat鈥檚 wrong with you? Get up! You鈥檙e blocking traffic!鈥�
鈥淲hen I didn鈥檛 answer, she shouted, 鈥楢re you deaf?鈥� and she leaned on her car horn. I crawled across the street to the corner. 鈥業diot!鈥� she shouted as she drove away.鈥�
鈥淥ccasionally,鈥� Butler-Bass concluded, 鈥測ou get to be the Samaritan. But sometimes you鈥檙e in the ditch.鈥�
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, 鈥淚 skidded on the road 鈥︹�� 鈥淚 had an accident鈥︹�� 鈥淢y car broke down鈥︹�� 鈥淚 ran out of gas鈥︹�� And a total stranger provided a can of gas, a blanket, a tow rope鈥�.
It had not dawned on me 鈥� despite being a 鈥渃ar guy鈥� since my teenage years 鈥� the extent to which cars have become part of our culture. It鈥檚 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, 鈥淭ell me your story.鈥�
It seemed to Christine that his act of intentional listening 鈥� like getting down in the ditch with the victim -- might have provided more healing than any financial donation could.
