The Kindness of a Samaritan
About two weeks ago, I tore my right meniscus playing Frisbee. The injury was severe enough that I initially could not put pressure on the affected knee. Hence, I needed crutches to get to places. Getting around with them can be quite taxing physically, especially when you’re trying to get to and from class. However, attending class is a high priority if I wanted to attain the necessary grades to pass my fourth year.
I somehow mustered the strength to limp to class two days after my injury since one of my classmates was driving me to my X-Ray/ultrasound appointment right after (Thanks Tanvi!). Normally, it takes me 10 minutes to walk to class – and that includes shortcuts. However, with crutches you have to cross intersections and follow the sidewalks so the ground you’re walking on is even and safe for your legs. As a result, the travel time is significantly longer — about 2–3 times the normal duration. Because I could not put much weight on my affected leg, I had to compensate accordingly with my arms and shoulders to make sure I moved fast enough to be on time for class. I quickly got tired and so I took a lot of breaks to make sure I didn’t overwork my body.
As I was getting closer to class, a black van pulled up beside me and the window lowered down to reveal a woman, Wendy. She offered to drive me the rest of the way to class, seeing that I was tiring out fast. Being that she was a stranger, it’s natural to be wary and apprehensive if such a person were to offer you something. However, [the Holy Spirit] and also my fatigue nudged me to the point that I accepted her offer instantly. As I got to know Wendy, I found out that she had endured recovering from similar injuries in the past. Somehow, a simple commonality formed a bond between the both of us.
Wendy so happened to work for the University of Waterloo. It so happened that she was friends with the people working in the AccessAbility services, who provide accommodations for people with permanent and temporary disabilities. When Wendy offered to get me in touch with said people, I immediately said yes. After a couple of emails, I now had free taxi service from my house to campus and back. Well, who knew that would happen?
Wendy’s random act of kindness reminded me of the parable of the Samaritan mentioned in Luke 10:25–37.
To summarize the story, a man is attacked by robbers and left on the roadside badly wounded. Two people pass by him, ignoring the mangled man. However, the third person (the Samaritan) not only takes the injured man off the road, but treats his wounds and provides him lodging at an inn to further recuperate.
As I’ve reflected over the recovery process I am currently undergoing, there have been countless acts of grace, kindness and generosity that God has shown to me through various people. Whether that be holding doors open for me or cooking meals for me, I am grateful for those people that have sacrificed their time and resources to help me. Even when I didn’t request help, they were proactive in checking up on me. They could have used the time to focus on other pressing matters in their life such as school, but the fact that they took time out to support someone in need is something that amazes me. That’s definitely a characteristic Jesus Christ exhibited during His time on Earth as He sought out the disabled people to heal and serve them.
If there is a lesson I have learned because of this injury, it is to always show kindness and generosity to the people around you. There are always people in need that we can show love and kindness to just like the Samaritan did to the maimed man. Such an action can be as simple as holding a door open for the person behind us. Even if that person is a stranger, it should not deter us from showing the love Jesus Christ showed to each and every one of us when He died on the cross to save us from our inherently sinful nature. If we as Christians are meant to be the salt and light to everyone on this earth, we should not just sit around and wait for someone in need to come to us for help. We have to go and show them the love of Christ.
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. — Romans 12:9–13
