If you are like me, you must be disgusted with the unfounded allegations of Haitian immigrants killing and eating cats and dogs in Springfield, Ohio. Perhaps, more disgusting is the doubling down on these disgusting allegations by the two Republicans seeking the highest offices in our country, former President Donald Trump and his running mate J.D.
Vance. It is amazing that these allegations are also embraced and spread by others that know better. I was pleased, however, to hear a right-wing Christian come forward and call for support for the Haitian community of Springfield.
I was encouraged and thought that it would help considerably to damp down on the rhetoric associated with the Springfield community when the local sheriff came forward to thank the many people in the county for their overwhelming support even though some are afraid to express their support. This reminded me that so many have closed their eyes to the egregious behavior directed at the Haitian community. This took me back to a column that I wrote many years ago about the ways others once went out of their way to help those in need.
While the Haitian residents of Springfield are facing horrible accusations that are negatively affecting their lives, I pray that there are some good Samaritans that have stepped forward to give the community support in the same manner good Samaritans did, back in the day. Many images probably come to mind of the acts of good Samaritans in the past. If you grew up back in the day, you undoubtedly remember the good Samaritan behaviors.
Perhaps you recall the example of women with children trying to cross a busy street; typically, women today who find themselves in such precarious situations are left to fend for themselves. Back in the day, however, the good Samaritan, assisted women in crossing the street. In some cases, The Good Samaritan carried the child or children in his arms while crossing the street with their mother.
I can recall situations where men would stop their automobiles, get out, and provide such assistance. Today, it is every woman for herself as such acts of kindness and consideration have been truly left, back in the day. An auto mechanic who specialized in BMWs was driving on Interstate 5 and spotted another BMW on the shoulder of the road, the hood up and the driver standing beside it.
The mechanic stopped and asked if he could help. The driver thanked him and explained that he had called BMW’s roadside assistance line and was just waiting for the BMW person to show up. The auto mechanic explained that he specialized in repairing BMWs, while again offering to help, with no obligation.
Perhaps he could save the driver a long wait. Again, he was thanked for the offer and was politely turned down. The mechanic, upon further insistence was finally allowed to look at the car.
He found nothing more than a loose wire, reattached it, and the car performed fine. The mechanic wanted nothing for his deed but was asked by the driver to leave his name and address. Mysteriously, the mechanic’s home mortgage was fully paid up the next week.
The driver happened to be Bill Gates. While this may be simply urban legend, it suggests that there are still some good Samaritans today, and hopefully some are in Springfield, Ohio, just as there were in other places, back in the day. The importance of behaving in a way that is in keeping with the ideals of the good Samaritan were usually passed on to us by our parents.
With limited education, they read the Bible and shared with their children lessons from it. Thus, while Luke 10:30-37 may not have had much meaning as a child, its story of the Good Samaritan was a lesson learned and a lesson that most of us did not forget. It provided a clear picture of God’s desire for us to help those in need wherever we find them.
You may recall after describing how the Samaritan rescued a hurting man whom others had passed by, Jesus told His followers, “Go and do likewise.” While many followed Jesus’ word, the lesson has been lost; today we often go about doing what we want to do but not what we should do. Jordan J.
Ballor, associate editor with the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion & Liberty in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in his publication, “The Good Samaritan: Model of Effective Compassion,” points out that the true good Samaritan treats his fellow man not as a problem but rather as a human being, engaging him as a person. The good Samaritan does not simply toss the person in need some money and proceed blithely on his way. Instead, he does the more “uncomfortable” task of providing for the person’s needs as if they were his own.
Some argue that the disappearance of the good Samaritan today is a result of man’s growing inhumanity to man. The lack of trust, lack of compassion, inconveniences, decline in spirituality, crime, selfishness, faceless names, betrayal and libel has prevented the good Samaritan from following the directive to “go and do likewise” in the manner that the Bible taught us and the way we followed this command, back in the day. I suspect that you may recall other examples of the good Samaritan.
Perhaps you have observed people on the streets, apparently in need, but being totally ignored. I recently read an account of a man who helped a stranger lying in the streets by giving him a blanket and then calling for police assistance. As it turned out, this man was very sick and would probably have died but for the assistance which resulted in the man being rushed to the hospital.
While I understand and embrace the notion of helping others in need, I was taken aback by a Dec. 8, 2015, online article by CamMi Pham titled “Why I Stopped Helping People and You Should Stop.” Contrary to my beliefs, he states that his mother taught him to never give unsolicited advice, nor try to help anyone unless they ask for it.
While this may fit today’s lifestyle, helping others, even going out of one’s way to help is something many of us willingly did, in the past, without being prompted. Hopefully, this is the kind of world we will see in Springfield, Ohio today, behavior that is consistent with how people behaved, back in the day..
