The man who didn’t want to get involved …

True story, which happened just yesterday.

I was working away on my laptop at a local Starbucks when two 20-something Hispanic males (I would later learn they were brothers) took the chairs next to me.

For a while, their conversation was hushed, but seemed to have something to do with religion. The longer the one talked, the more agitated the other became. At the suggestion of a different Starbucks patron who was becoming annoyed with their increasing rowdiness, the guys took their conversation outside.

Their exit was the last I noticed of them until, minutes later, a man with a dog came in to pick up his coffee and at the same time told the barista there was someone outside about to pass out and experiencing some kind of medical emergency. He then asked the barista if he would call for paramedics because … and these were his exact words:

“I don’t want to call because then they’ll have my number and I don’t want to get involved.”

This man loudly and easily stated what a lot of people might think in the same circumstances, but wouldn’t admit publicly – that they don’t want to get involved.

The man identified the fact another human being was having a medical emergency and needed someone to help him and get help for him, but he simply did not want to get involved, and didn’t want any trace of contact to him regarding this fellow’s need.

Fortunately, three baristas went outside, with me on their trail. One saw the man on the sidewalk and immediately called 911 on her cell phone. No hesitancy, ready to get involved.

The other two began a process of assessing the situation; the young man lying on the ground seemed to be in pain, didn’t know what was happening to him, and was about to pass out. The two baristas remained calm and kept talking to the fellow in an effort to keep him conscious until the paramedics arrived, all while I tried to gather any helpful information from the brother. We were willing to get involved because someone needed help and we were available.

This was a medical emergency and the paramedics responded swiftly to this need. I don’t know what the diagnosis finally was but because a handful of us were willing to get involved, help arrived swiftly and took the sick man to a hospital.

I’ve thought and prayed about these two brothers since then, but what really stood out to me was how easily, and without hesitation, the one coffee customer bluntly announced someone else needed to do something for a serious need because, while he saw the need, he didn’t want to get involved.

It made me wonder how many people in serious need — whether physically, mentally, or spiritually — go ignored today because we bluntly don’t want to get involved, we don’t want to get dragged into their crisis. We might not be as bold as the customer and admit publicly, “I don’t want to get involved!” But our inaction speaks more loudly than any words would.

There are some who would make excuses for not getting involved. Jesus dismantles any act of excuse-making when He told the story of the Good Samaritan. It actually starts in Luke 10:25 like this:

“One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: ‘Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus replied, ‘What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?’ The man answered, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘Right!’ Jesus told him. ‘Do this and you will live!’ The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?'” Luke 10:25-29.

In verses 30-35, Jesus would tell one of the most well-known stories in all of the Bible, the story of the Good Samaritan. Then He would make His point like this:

“‘Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?’ Jesus asked. The man replied, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Then Jesus said, ‘Yes, now go and do the same,'” Luke 10:36-37.

Have you made yourself so available to God that you’re available to show mercy to your “neighbor,” that person in need who you come across? Or do you stubbornly insist you don’t want to get involved?

Scotty