Our world hurts.
People are hurting.
Our world and its people have no shortage of wounds that are in need of healing.
This is universal.
The street-name-changes.
The hurt does not.
North Avenue and Center Street are not the only streets where violence occurs.
Violence, hatred, bigotry, prejudice, intolerance, abuse can raise its ugly head on any…on every street in America…or on any street or footpath throughout our known world.
Let’s just call it, “the Jericho Road.”
The Jericho Road is that 17 mile stretch that connects Jerusalem and Jericho. In that 17 mile stretch the road is steep and winding and it descends downward some 3600 feet.
But robbers can lie-in-wait anywhere. The time of day or the time of night does not really matter. The unexpected happens…
What matters is the victimization. Getting what “WE WANT.” And in a sense we are all victims of something or someone, including “life itself.”
It’s all about that view from the road. The view from the gutter… The view from the alley-way…The view from the empty house… The empty chair… Staring out from a hospital bed…or from a jail cell…or looking up at the overpass above your head…the view from the floor…
The loss of respect…
Violence…
Oppression…
People robbed of their dignity.
Robbed of their freedom…
Denied justice…
The feelings of desertion…
Hope abandoned…it can happen anywhere. And it does.
Anywhere in the world.
The view from “down here” is different.
The view from the side of the road is something else…
It doesn’t matter who comes…
It only matters that someone comes…
That someone helps…
That someone gives aid and comfort…
That someone finds it within themselves—to stop…to notice, to take heed, to care…
When you are the victim and someone comes to your aid…it is EVERYTHING.
It doesn’t matter that they are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindi, Buddhist, Zoroastrian or Jainist.
The color of their skin is of no concern. The accent of their voice is of no matter.
You do not care what they are wearing.
You do not care how they look.
It only matters that they stopped. They cared. They showed compassion. They held your hand. They reached out. They showed up. They did not have to say a word. They were there. They loved.
I did a quick Google asking “how many people” were on the face of the planet today. The answer came back 7.5 billion and counting.
What are the chances of even one of them stopping and rendering aid? What are the chances of one of them helping “an unknown person?”
Does it matter if they are not like me? That their values might be different?
Jesus was right. Most of them will walk on the “other side.”
They WILL take notice, kind of…
But I get it—it is an issue of safety.
To stop would be an inconvenience.
Busyness rules…
They do not want to become involved.
They have places to go and things to do.
The excuses are many.
They do not want to become dirtied.
Time is of the essence, you know.
There is that whole thing about blood…
Being unclean, ritually unclean…the blood, the sweat, the perspiration, the smell…I get it. I totally get it.
I don’t blame them…
I would probably cross over too…
(As a matter of fact, I have)
I have looked the other way…we all have
I probably look pretty appalling…
The other-side is so much safer…
The other-side is so much MORE comfortable. The other-side is just as dangerous.
I pray that they are not the next victims.
When no one comes…When no one stops… You are left alone with your thoughts. This could be it – you know? It could be over!
The Jericho road is always with us…it is known by many names. It is that place where people are robbed of their dignity, their humanity, their love, their value, their food, their clothing…it is a place of suffering and oppression. People are “routinely taken advantage of” – on this many-named-road.
It’s been a long time since I heard the footsteps of anyone. It grows darker…the sun is going down…it is getting colder…soon the wild animals will be out rummaging…I wonder will anyone stop before it is too late?
Does anybody care?