A few days ago, a poor bicycle rickshaw driver was in a bad part of town here in Delhi when he was ambushed, robbed of the little money he had, and was nearly beaten to death before the muggers escaped.
A few observers passed by without helping – as is common in India. However, one of the bystanders was the pastor of a local Church who happened to be going down the same road. According to reports, when he saw the man bloodied and beaten, he crossed the street and walked faster, as he said he had some work to get ready for his Sunday service.
A little later a Hindu devotee from across town was walking down this same street, when he came to the place and saw the man, still moaning in pain. He crossed the street to avoid him and went into a shop.
There was also a Muslim man was also walking down the same street, on his way to evening prayer. When he saw him, he rushed to the victim’s side and helped him up. He hailed a taxi and took the injured stranger to a very good local hospital. There he registered the man and even paid a deposit on the bill up front (as was required).
The next day the Muslim man came back to find that the injured man has recovered from his wounds and was able to be discharged. After buying some medicine and fresh gauze from the chemist at the hospital he decided to help the man out a bit more. Once the man was ready to go, the kind Muslim paid the outstanding balance of the hospital bill, hired a taxi, and took the guy to his house. There he had his wife prepare some dal and roti.
Since this happened, there’s been a lot of talk in the city. People here have been asking… which of these three men who encountered the beaten rickshaw driver was his real ‘neighbor’?
* Idea taken from Doc Misterio’s The Good, The Bad, The Loveable.
** Doc took the idea from Jesus’ Parable of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10.
*** The modern twist makes ya think, doesn’t it?