Saturday, December 1, 2012

Are you a modern-day Good Samaritan?

Today, there’s a story that everyone is talking about here in the United States. It is a story that has gone viral on the internet of a NYPD officer who bought a pair of all-weather shoes for a homeless man. This act of kindness has touched my heart and of many others around the globe.

When this Christmas-spirit exemplifying young cop purchased the shoes for the barefoot man, he did a selfless thing.  His response to the man that many would pass him up, reminded me of the story of the Good Samarian in Luke 10:30-37 which teaches us to show an attitude of giving towards anyone in need regardless of their ethnic, religious, social or economic background.

At the close of the Good Samaritan story, Jesus challenged the expert in the law with these words: "Go and do likewise” (v. 37). The Good Samaritan did his part and earned the adjective "good" to his ethnic name which some people of his day did not consider good at all. He, therefore, set such a good example for us to emulate or mimic in our relationships with others.

NYPD officer Larry DePrimo is said to have learned to show acts of kindness to others from his grandfather. As he helped the homeless man, the generous officer was not intending to get any attention or credit for it, whatsoever. If it wasn’t as a result of a photo that a tourist from Phoenix, Arizona snapped on her cell phone of what transpired in New York City, the touching story would probably have not been known. However, it would have been known as far as our Heavenly Father is concerned for nothing ever goes unnoticed to Him—He sees what we do in secret and rewards us. The Good Samaritan did not blow his own trumpet but instead did what he had to do to help the man the robbers beat up and left half-dead.  

NYPD officer DePrimo is indeed “a modern-day Good Samaritan.” His actions demonstrated God’s love and kindness towards the homeless man.  May this heart-warming act, remind us that God is good and does great things. Likewise, we should do good acts of service to all, especially those of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10).  To apply what the NYPD officer did into our lives, let’s endeavor to be "good Samaritans for Jesus" today by doing three things, namely:

1.      Share our resources with the less fortunate.

2.      Spend quality time with others and turn our conversations to talking about spiritual things,

3.      Show God’s love to all without any discrimination.