Last week I talked about an excerpt from a book I was reading. Well, I’ve finished reading and another event in the story has given me pause for thought about our Christian journey. The writer of the story, John, as you may recall, is recounting his life during the 2nd World War. John and his plane with 6 others were shot down on his first flight over Germany. John, the only survivor, ends up in a POW camp. Later on John, along with thousands of others, were force-marched in the dead of winter. Many fell by the wayside from the cold and relative problems. Our writer, John, also succumbs to the cold etc., and finally collapses into the snow expecting to die.
In his unconscious state he hears a voice asking if he is a “prisoner of war”. Finally, nodding his head yes, someone strong picks him up and puts him in the back of a wagon.
John is taken to a facility where help is administered, and in due course he regains consciousness.
His first thought was, who picked him up? John’s assumption is that it was a man. Hearing the story a Russian medic took it upon himself to find out.
What is discovered is, the person who picked John up was a German civilian. A waggoneer who moved goods back and forth in the local communities. The horse drawn wagon had stopped in the snow and the owner could not get the horse to move. In due course the owner/driver got down and looked to see what was troubling the horse. It was John, lying unconscious in the snow. The wagon driver had lost both a spouse and son to the bombing of the British and fighting against the Russians.
After giving John this information the Russian turned to leave but as he did he gave John one last bit of information. The wagon driver was a woman.
Does this story remind you of the Good Samaritan? Luke 10: 29-37
This German lady did not have to behave in a kind manner but she chose to help in spite of the losses to her own family from John’s countrymen as a result of the war. Had the horse not stopped and refused to move and the owner not put aside her valid reasons to not help, the author would never have told his story. A story that each of us should read.
I love the similarities to the Good Samaritan parable. Our journey on this earth can be travelled in many ways but as Christians we are urged to follow the examples of Jesus and the parables he spoke about in the Bible.
The book entitled “Almost a Lifetime” belongs to the Terpstra’s so if you want to read it I think they would be happy to lend it to you. Barb and I have both read it.
Our task as Christians is to behave in a like manner as Christ. I pray we all take the example to heart and behave in the manner shown.
