Everyone will remember the story of the Good Samaritan that Jesus told to make a point about mercy and grace. The Samaritans were not looked upon, by the Jews as good people at the time that Jesus was telling this well-known parable. It was used to point out a truth about who our neighbor happens to be and how we should overlook all social conditions in helping one another. When the religious leaders of the day decided to pass by the injured man on the side of the road, the Samaritan stopped, ministered to the man’s wounds and took in to an inn. He told the owner to give the wounded man whatever he needs and if the bill amounted to more, that he would pay it when he comes back by that way. He demonstrated grace and mercy to the wounded man despite the social situation happened to be in those days.
In our modern day, there are not too many Good Samaritans to be found. To be sure, they are around but one never sees them because they don’t spend time letting everyone know how wonderful they are because they helped someone. In the last couple of weeks, I have ben made aware of the “good Samaritans” that are all around us. When Helene came through and dispensed so much damage on our community, the good Samaritans began to emerge in number. One never knows who one of the people happens to be but, from experience, I can tell you that they are there.
Most of the people helping to solve this devastating situation in Augusta and the metro area, are being paid for their services and that’s expected. I am glad that all these people are here helping our community get back to a normal way of functioning. Those who took all the fallen trees off my yard were well paid, but I am very thankful that they had those skills and I could partake of them. But, early in the morning on Friday after the hurricane had come through during the early morning hours of Thursday, there was a neighbor that came with his chainsaw to remove a tree that had fallen into the street in front of my house. It was on some common ground property across the street. Needless to say, the tree was removed to a safer location in only a few minutes. No one told him to do that but he was being a good neighbor and a Good Samaritan. All around this city that story could be told over and over again.
Somehow, we have lost that old neighborly feeling even though we have more and larger housing developments than ever. It seems as if people have become more reclusive the larger the population has grown. In my subdivision, one hardly ever sees or hears a soul unless they are driving through the area. Occasionally, we see people walking in the afternoon or early morning but there is hardly ever any neighborly interaction. Everyone is living in their own little world with people everywhere. It reminds me of the old saying: “Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.”
Since this hurricane, I have seen and talked to more people than I have in the twelve years we have been living in Bartram Trail. I think that we have all discovered that our neighbors are really good and friendly people after all. Everyone, even in the midst of all the trouble of Helene are smiling and conversing with each other on the street as people walk around and examine the destruction left by the storm. A couple who lives across the street from us was going out of town for the week just to get away. The lady of the house came and asked us if we would like some food that was in their freezer. They offered us steaks and such since it would not keep. They asked no money in return. Just good people being nice to other people. It was refreshing even though we had no room for the food in our freezer. They gave it to someone else.
Another thing we discovered during the past two weeks is that we really don’t need t.v. Our cable company his just come back on line but my wife and I found out that old fashioned conversation is far more interesting and it taught us again that engaging in personal conversation is very meaningful and fun. All of that gets lost when television replaces personal interaction. I also began to read more than I have been reading for a while. Television quickly replaces reading a good book when it is allowed to do so and I had allowed it to do just that. But, with no television or internet, both of the major distractors were unavailable and we began to fill that time with better things such as spending time talking and reading good books.
Yes, Helene was a terrible thing for the Augusta area. The destruction is devastating to our area. Old landmarks are gone forever. Things will look different and we all are concerned about that, but I keep reminding myself of a precious truth and that is this: Nothing catches God by surprise and this storm didn’t either. He will make provision for His People to see such as this through to the end. A better day is coming. We will recover and do even better. Helene was bad but I think it helped people to find out that they are far more resourceful than they thought. And, it reminded us again that we are far more dependent upon our Heavenly Father that we often want to admit.
One of the things we should thank Him for is the hundreds and hundreds of people who came from far and wide to help get our area back to normal. We should be earnestly praying for all the power company people as well as the tree removal people and the cable workers as well. The work they are doing is very dangerous and they need our prayers. I met some great guys from New Jersey and had some fellowship with them. I found out that they are Christians and we had a discussion about our faith. Good Samaritans they were.
So, we must keep looking upward, trusting in Him to take this “lemon” and make lemonade out of it. That is what He does. When life throws us a curve and touches us is tragic ways, God is ready to see us through it all. And in the process, He teaches us that there are more Good Samaritans around us than we realize.
We all need to thank the Lord for watching out over us and bringing us through this terrible hurricane. We won’t forget it for a long time and we must always remember that God is STILL on his Throne and sees everything about our lives. We should thank Him as we get back to normal and continue our lives. One of the best things you could ever do in your life is learn to become a Good Samaritan and let the Lord use you in the lives of others.
