Chilvary Is Not Dead

Available at Tate Publishing

Just in case you were wondering, I found the answer ... chivalry is not dead yet.  With a world full of crime, passion, anger, drive-by shootings, deceit, greed, abuse, and I could go on, where the portrayal of negative far outweighs the portrayal of positive in the media, we often lose sight of the many good deeds that go unnoticed. But this one won't.  

Out here in west Texas, we have a lot of highways. Long-distance travel is a way of life around here.  It's important to have a decent, mechanically sound vehicle.  On my way to a book-signing event this past weekend, I had a blow-out.  There began the miracle. The first blessing was that the car didn't roll.  Strange, because I was travelling at 70 mph (the posted speed limit). I've been driving for almost 50 years now, and I always have thought that if you were traveling fast when a blow-out occurred, your car would, at the very least, shimmy. And the possibility of it rolling was very realistic. But, I didn't even feel the blow-out at all! I just noticed smoke coming from the back of my vehicle, and pulled over.

Anything could have happened at that point. But after a short prayer, the second blessing occurred. Three gentlemen pulled over to help me out. Two changed the tire, and the third made sure the balance of my trip was safe. He made sure I got to the next town safely, got the tire replaced, and even made sure I got to my destination safely. Doesn't sound like much, you say? You'd have had to have been there. This young man went way above and beyond the "call of duty." His reasoning for doing all he did was, "If it were my mother, or my wife, or my sister, I'd want someone to do it for them."

We are each blessed with gifts and talents. Some know their gifts and talents, and use them to the fullest. Some don't yet realize what their gifts and talents are.  My story relates to the parable of the Good Samaritan. Luke 10: 25 - 37 tells the story of a certain man who was travelling along the road to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of some robbers. He was beaten, stripped and his possessions were taken. Some time later, three other men happened upon this now half-dead man. One was a priest, another was a Levite (the same as the victim). Neither stopped to help. Then came a Samaritan. Now, the Samaritans and the Levites were not on the best of terms ... yet the Samaritan was the one who helped the man who had been beaten and robbed. And not only did he assist the fallen Levite, but the Samaritan also provided the means by which all needed care could be given upon his departure.

Sound familiar? If not, read the beginning paragraphs again. My dilemma was not as life threatening as was the Levite's. But I was stuck nonetheless.  I needed help. In the parable, Jesus was teaching a lawyer, no less, about life.  "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind," He said in verse 27, "and your neighbor as yourself." Jesus was telling this lawyer that this is how we are to treat each other. It's what life is all about. It's why we were created in the first place. And it's where the old saying came from: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Guardian angels do exist. They are real. Mine sent a wonderful "good samaritan" to help me that day. What did I learn from this experience? I learned that chilvary is not dead. I learned that miracles do still happen. And I learned that I should be passing the blessing on to others.  Keep your eyes peeled. There may be someone out there who needs your help!