Knowing your Neighbor
By Avanke`
I was quite inspired to hear about Richard A. Wellons, a modern day
Samaritan who finds ways means to discover people around him who were in need
and lends a helping hand in a creative manner. The richness of a society is
measured by the manner in which they treat the stranger, the less fortunate and
even their enemies. However I would like to draw your attention to the original parable of the good Samaritan as related by Jesus in the Gospels. At the centre of the story lies the plot where a Samaritan
helps out a person (a Jew) in need who in different circumstances would
have been totally despised and treated as an outcast. It inconveniences
him greatly and costs him much to help out this Jew and yet in the parable
related by the Great Master, divine love is vividly demonstrated by a so called
and outcast Samaritan. To me the key here is to identify how to relate to and
love our neighbor and not just to give alms to the poor and destitute. It
is easy to reach out to our pockets and give some money or even write out a
cheque and say that you have done your moral duty as a God fearing citizen. But
to make a commitment and to use you donkey (or your car) to transport someone
who hates you and to use your own oil to tend to their wounds and take a hotel
room for that person goes beyond the ordinary.
I believe the parable of the Good Samaritan demonstrates the love of the Great
Master himself. Great magnanimous acts do not come anywhere close to the love
that is portrayed in the parable. American society has a long history of
accounts where Native Americans and African Americans have been treated so
unfairly. At the time the country was sending astronauts into deep space
American citizens whose skin colour was dark couldn't go in the same bus and
sit alongside a white man. At a time when one American was walking on the moon,
another from African origin was fighting for his " country" along
with his white brothers, another would have been denied access to a whites only
bar or ice cream parlour. My children were shocked to hear that this didn't
happen 150 years ago but just 40 years ago when I was a kid. So I am
inspired by the story but not convinced, to be given the title American
Samaritan one has to do much much more but then again you said "American" didn't
you. Maybe then the title fits.
I have nothing against Richard A. Wellons and the author Henry
Piarrot but let us not call dear Mr. Wellons a Good Samaritan. No doubt this
Christ like gentleman has done so much for the community but we will be taking
away part of his blessing by giving this title. The Samaritan in the ageless
story knew his neighbour far too well. It was someone who often raised his heel
to trample him. So give me another similar story please.