Scams or Samaritans
My husband and I were recently watching an episode of ABC’s What Would You Do? The title of the episode was “Are You a Good Samaritan?”… it got us curious.
But curiosity quickly turned to frustration and then more discussion about what our role as Christians ought to be.
The purpose of the episode was to see whether passersby would stop to help someone in distress. Here’s a clip from the show.
I’ll be honest. I was conflicted.
As a female, if I were walking alone through a park (like the setting in the episode), I would have reservations about stopping to help an adult male, especially if there were not others in the immediate area. Perhaps I’ve watched too many episodes of Criminal Minds or maybe it’s because I live with a cop who deals with cons and criminals every day, but the reality is criminals use these kinds of scams all the time. I wrestle with where the line is between being a Good Samaritan and putting yourself in danger.
I do want to love like Jesus loves.
I do want to be sensitive to those in need.
I don’t want my heart to be calloused or unaware.
So, how do you find this balance?
How do you remain sensitive to opportunities to love and serve others without putting yourself in danger?
I take it one situation at a time. If I walk away from someone in need (an opportunity to serve), I always struggle with it… but I have found that as long as I am safe… I try my best.
I agree in theory with their "finding", but I think what they have really identified is a symptom and not the root. In my life the difference of when I serve/reach out and when I don't is what my heart is focused on. Those in the video were focused on reaching an appointment on time that would open a door for their future success. They were focused on themselves. One of my standard daily prayers is that I will be able to focus on the Lord and his agenda for my life because when I focus on him and his agendas, then my focus can't be on me yet I am never left out of the process because the Lord cares immensely for me and for my care and success. He just knows that sometimes the best way to care for me is to have it come through something beyond my own abilities, and the best way for someone else to be cared for might be through me.