JT left that building and continued walking around the town. As he came to the edge of town he found a man laying by the side of the road, he obviously had been robbed. As a small child, he wasn’t sure what he could do but he began to approach the man.

A man in rich priestly robes, with an entourage, passed by the man lying on the side of the road smirking. Waving at the man, he said haughtily, “Oh leave him, he probably had too much wine and fell in with bad company. We don’t have time for him. I forbid any one of you to help him!” Some of the man’s followers looked sadly as they walked by; but they followed their leaders’ direction and went on down the road.

A rich man in a chair carried by his servants; passed by the man on the side of the road avoiding him by moving to the other side. He said sternly to his servants, “It’s probably a trick. He is just lying there pretending to be hurt so he can call out to his companions to rob us. Let us be on our way!” He went on down the road looking back at the man as if he expected him to leap up and attack him at any moment.

Next walking down the road traveled a man with his family. He had a wife, a small boy and girl, as well as a babe in arms. They did not look rich, but not poor either, just average.

“Oh look at the poor man at the side of the road,” the wife said softly. The man agreed and leaned down to examine the man. “Why is that man lying there,” the little boy of about 6 asked. The little girl, appearing about 4, piped up, “Is he sleeping here because he is tired?”

The man replied, “No dear children, he appears to be hurt. We must help him.” He pulled out some water and bandages from a pack on his back. “Why must we help him, daddy, we don’t know him?” the little boy asked. “Because it’s the right thing to do, son, I would hope someone would do that for you as well if you were hurt by the side of the road.”

He bandaged the man, helped him to sit up and gave him a drink of water. Then he helped him lean against him and they trudged off down the road.

JT looked at them at thought of the three groups who had passed by the man injured by the side of the road. He wondered which one he would be like?

QOTD: What scripture does this illustrate? Have you ever been so busy or preoccupied and didn’t help someone when you could have?

The answer to last weeks’ story: JESUS TREK – 5 – The Rich man (Mark 10: 17-27)

To read the introduction to this story series please click HERE