A wounded man lay by the highway. Two men, ignoring him, passed him by, but the third stopped and took care of him generously. So goes the promise of the good Samaritan parable See Luke 10:30-37. —or so I thought.
Sitting by the edge of the highway in a broken-down car, we watched a heavy stream of traffic passing by; the number of cars that passed us far exceeded three. My good Samaritan was just not coming. My husband and I spent the entire night in the car. The following morning we walked a few miles before a highway patrolman rescued us and drove us to a phone booth.
I was devastated. What happened to us and what had happened to the wounded man in Jesus' parable did not coincide. I was disappointed in God and angry with the parable. Gradually, however, I was able to think carefully about the parable's message. In retrospect, I can see that my understanding of how God dearly cares for man needed to grow. But right then the underlying message for me was quite simple and direct: When you see someone in need, help him exactly as you would want him to help you.
