Day 71: Would You Save A Drowning Man?

Luke 10:29-37

New International Version (NIV)

 ²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
 ³⁰ In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii^[a] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
   ³⁶ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
 ³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
   Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”


How many times have I read this story? How many times have you? And yet, thinking about it tonight, I have a not-so-good feeling that I haven't taken the message to heart nearly as much as I like to pretend that I have. 


Just like these guys, I have been guilty of not choosing to put myself in a situation because I was afraid. Just like these guys, I have been guilty of not going out of my way because I "didn't have time". Just like these guys, I've hurried on by.


Have you seen this article? http://hypervocal.com/news/2011/police-firemen-look-on-as-man-drowns-off-ca-coast/ It's about a bunch of policemen and firemen in California who chose to look on while a man drowned himself. When they're interviewed after, they say that "policy" prevented them from intervening. And the scary thing is that that almost sounds reasonable to me.


I'm sorry to say that I could see myself standing on the shoreline, telling someone how much I *wished* I could do something to help. That's not the person that I want to be. I want to be the person that, when faced with the opportunity to save someone, doesn't stop to think "what are the possible ramifications for me"? Who finds it impossible to stand on the shore and watch someone drown - physically or spiritually. Who says, this person is more important than my job/my rules/my life. 


If you had been on that shoreline, what would you have done? There are moments in life that tell who you are. The good Samaritan of this story found his defining moment on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. Where will you find yours?