Good samaritans, stranded cars, and homeless people

[Beloved2010]

Okay, let’s do some brainstorming in regard to modern situations and two Gospel passages. I often see cars stranded on the side of the road and also homeless people on street corners. Sometimes I help the hobos but I rarely help the stranded cars, although when I try to they often do not need my help or just flat out reject it. As I pass them I can’t help but remember the Gospel story of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:29-37) and the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) where Jesus says that what we do for others, such as clothing the naked and feeding the hungry, we do for Jesus and that if we do not do these things we will go off to eternal punishment. Helping people on the side of the road is certainly doing things for Jesus.

Should we help everyone, even if it screws up our plans and schedule? Or should we only help some of the time, and how should we decide who to help?

 

[Bill_Martin]

A car on the side of the road is a very different scenario from a guy lying on the side of the road who had just been beaten. Unless the people are flagging down passing cars, I usually don’t stop. The only exception to this would be if the car was stuck in snow or if it was an elderly woman trying to change a tire on her own. There are tons of reasons for pulling over that don’t require help, so I assume they will wave people down f they do need it. In that case, I would definitely stop, and have done so in the past.

 

[Myqyl]

If a stranded car needs assistance they should tie a white flag to the door facing traffic (mirror, car handle or simply tucked into a closed window) or put a sign in their back window saying “Help”. In the day of cell phones, it would be rare indeed that someone would be stranded without a way to contact help. Most people broken down would be afraid of a stranger stopping… So I believe that Jesus would expect us to Help when Help is needed, but not to worry someone needlessly.

 

[sweetpetunia]

Good question! I can say with certainty that while we have an Automobile Association membership and a cell, it is still heartwarming to see people stop and ask if we are alright. Once, when we were on vacation in an area known for its down-home warmth and kindness, my husband decided to check the fluid levels and the map simultaneously before the big drive home. He put up the hood and not even five minutes later, a young man stops to ask if we need any assistance! I guess between the hood up, the map out, and the different license plate, he figured we were in trouble. That small act of kindness definitely made my day.

I don’t think I could give a blanket “stop and help everybody” answer to your question, though. Many times, it would not be prudent to stop, e.g., cases of a mom with small children, a man heading to an interview for a job he desperately needs, a young woman alone in a shady area, a situation where something “just doesn’t seem right”, etc. As a woman, and a mom, I tend to err on the cautious myself, but if the weather was seriously inclement (where people could freeze to death at the side of the road), I’d call the non-emergency line for the police and have them make sure that the person(s) in the car would be okay.

 

[SurlyMermaid]

A couple of months ago my young daughter, my baby, and I were broken down on a hot day. For some reason my iPhone had been sucking battery and was about to die.

A couple of guys stopped–to tell me that I was close to a private drive and needed to move my car.

 

[Beloved2010]

Thank y’all for your help. What you say makes sense. I guess I should not be so concerned if I don’t stop to help someone if they do not seem like they are in need of assistance.