Don't Say You Care, Show You Care
As World War II was ending in the Pacific, and the complex job of ferrying prisoners of war back and forth to their respective bases was taking place, something peculiar happened on board train car.
This particular train car was manned by Japanese soldiers who were taking former Allied prisoners of war back to their home bases. However, these Allied soldiers had to share the train cars with injured Japanese soldiers.
The Allies, though hungry and battered, were so happy to return to their bases, and eventually home, as victors in this war. Meanwhile, the hungry, wounded, and distraught Japanese soldiers, who were returning to a country in shambles, and knew that they may not even make it home, hung their heads in disconsolation.
That's when one of the Allied soldiers, rummaging through his meager rations, made his way over to the Japanese soldiers, and offered a few morsels of food. A few other Allied soldiers did the same. This happened until an officer came over and asked what was going on?
One of the Allied soldiers asked the officer if he was a Christian, to which he responded yes. Then the soldier reminded the officer of the story of the Good Samaritan, and how Jesus taught his followers to love their neighbors, even if their neighbors were their enemies. The Allied officer shook his head and said, “But these are the enemy, who killed our fellow soldiers and treated us badly in prison camps! Besides, that's just a Bible story!" And as he stormed off to another rail car, the Allied soldier turned to a compatriot and said, “We Christians can't just say we care, we have to show we care.”
This dramatic story of compassion reminds us that faith is a verb.
Our Christianity has to go farther than our talk. Jesus commends us to put our words into action, what does that look like for us today?
How are we being courteous to others?
Not speaking behind peoples' backs?
Not spreading rumors?
Or taking credit for the work of others?
Doing the work of the Good Samaritan is just that, work.
May God grant us wisdom and strength to follow this example.
May God grant us wisdom and strength to follow this example.
